Combining ability studies in Pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.) S.& H.)

A line x tester analysis of combining ability involved five male-sterile lines from different sources and 10 inbreds of Pearl millet developed at Hissar (India). Additive x additive and additive x dominance types of gene interaction were found to predominate in the material under study. A high degree of association was found between general combining effects and the mean performance of lines and testers over crosses but no association was observed betweenper se performance of the crosses and their specific combining ability effects. Among the male sterile lines, L-110 proved to be the best general combiner, whereas H-297, followed by H-198, was the best of the inbreds. The crosses L-110 x H-440, L-110 x H-406, 18D2A x H-297, 18 A x H-198 and L-110 x H-297, were superior to the released variety, Hybrid-1, used as control.