Ghassan AL Lahham*(1) Elias Aweel(1) Saoud Shehab(1) Majeda AL Rwely(1) Razan AL Najjar(1) Reem AL Mansour(1) Ali Wannous(1) Thamer AL Hniesh(1)
(1). Crops Research Administration, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: E-Mail: gh_lahham@hotmail.com).
Received: 02/05/2019 Accepted: 01/10/2019
Abstract
Half diallel set of crosses between six inbred lines of pearl millet were executed at First of May Research station, Syria, during 2011 and 2012 seasons to study the heterosis, and general and specific combining ability components for silking date (day), plant height(cm), number of leaves, number of tillers per plant and green and dry fodder yield (ton/ha), to be compared with the average. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replications. The results showed that the variation of inbred lines and crosses was highly significant in the inheritance of all studied traits, and the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities mean squares of the inbred lines, and crosses were significant for all traits, this showed the contribution of additive and non-additive gene action in those traits. The ratio of σ2GCA/σ2SCA showed the dominance of additive gene action in inheritance of these traits. Heterosis of hybrids (P1 × P4, P1 × P6, P2 × P3, P3 × P6, P4 × P6 and P5 × P6) was significant compared with mid and better parents for most studied traits in particular green and dry fodder yield. The lines (P6, P5, P4) also showed a positive and significant general ability for yield of green and dry forage. while the hybrids (P1 × P2, P1 × P3, P2 × P6 and P4 × P6) had the highest significant good SCA for green fodder yield (14.22**, 16.37**, 17.92** and 31.92**) respectively. This confirms the need to include them in the selection and breeding programs of this crop.
Key words: Pearl millet, Half diallel cross, GCA, SCA, Heterosis.
Full Paper in Arabic: PDF