Combining ability and heterosis studies in different crop sites for yield and yield contributing traits in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

Abstract

Forty eight hybrids, utilizing six male sterile lines and eight restorers of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) were evaluated for general and specific combining ability, variance components and standard heterosis. Among the lines ICSA 427 and ICSA 433 and testers ICSR 13009 and ICSR 13031 were found to be good general combiners for grain yield per plot and other yield contributing traits. The estimates of σ 2 gca and σ 2 sca suggested a non-additive genetic variance for all the traits studied. Most of the cross combinations showed higher magnitude of specific combining ability effects volving high × high (H × H) and high × low (H × L) combining ability effects of lines and testers for grain yield per plot and other yield contributing traits. The estimates of standard heterosis for grain yield per plot ranged from -49.53 and -50.46 (ICSA 435 × ICSR 13004) to 41.96 and 39.35 (ICSA 433 × ICSR 13043) over CSV-41 and CSH-16, respectively. Out of 48 cross combinations, six registered highly significant positive heterosis (over CSV-41 and CSH-16) for grain yield per plot.

Comparison of combining ability based heterotic grouping methods and assigning a set of germpalsm lines to existing testers in rabi sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

“…The presence of significant variation among the parental material indicates adequate genetic differences among the lines, testers and hybrids for the effective selection of the yield (Saikiran et al, 2021 andPatel et al, 2016). Furthermore, results indicate the presence of a heterotic response for the grain yield.…”