Combining ability for yield,protein, lysine and tryptophan in pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L.)

Estimates of general and specific combining ability for grain yield, protein, lysine and tryptophan levels in the grain were obtained by evaluating the performance of 150 F₁ pearl millet hybrids which were derived by crossing 5 male-sterile lines to 30 geographically diverse testers. Significant differences were found for grain yield and protein in males and for protein and tryptophan in females. The variation due to male × female interaction was significant for all the characters.The additive as well as non-additive genetic variance played an important role in the expression of these characters but the magnitude of the non-additive component was substantially higher. The specific combining ability effects of certain crosses were related to the general combining ability effects of their parents and there was some degree of relationship between heterobeltiosis and specific combining ability effects.Percentage protein was negatively correlated with yield, lysine and tryptophan among hybrid population. The positive association between lysine and tryptophan offers scope for improving protein quality with simultaneous increase in yield. The parents KG-70-2, Madras 34, I.B. (64-1-SPS) and MPP 7105 have potential for exploitation in future breeding programmes.