Combining ability and gene action for grain yield and its attributing traits in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.).

Sixty hybrids of Pearl millet were developed by crossing six male sterile lines with ten diverse inbred lines and studied for its combining ability effects. The analysis of variance revealed significant difference between parents for all the characters under study. The estimates of combining ability variances indicated that the importance of both additive and non-additive gene action in the control of most of the characters under study. The mean degree of dominance (σ2 D / σ2 A)0.5 was found greater than unity for characters days to maturity, grain yield per plant, stover yield per plant and protein content, indicating the over dominance.The CGMS line ICMA-98444 was found as good general combiners for days to maturity, plant height, earhead length and earhead girth. The CGMS line JMSA-9904 were found good general combiner for days to 50 % flowering and earhead length but poor combiners for plant height, earhead girth and stover yield per plant. Three inbreds J-2433, AIB-23 and J-2490 were good general combiner for earhead girth, while J-2526 and AIB-11 was good general combiner for earhead length. Among the sixty hybrids, 12 hybrids showed the best performance with significantly positive sca effect for grain yield. The cross ICMA- 04999 x J-2526 had significant and positive sca effects for grain yield per plant and stover yield par plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]