HETEROSIS AND COMBINING ABILITY FOR GRAIN YIELD AND OTHER AGRONOMIC TRAITS IN PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)
HETEROSIS AND COMBINING ABILITY FOR GRAIN YIELD AND OTHER AGRONOMIC TRAITS IN PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)
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Date
2012-03
Authors
MAINASSARA, HABIBOU
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Abstract
Heterosis and combining ability for grain yield and other agronomic traits in 16
pearl millet hybrids were studied at Bengou and Maradi, Niger Republic, using the crosses
obtained from two heterotic groups (Group A: Guerguera, HKB, HKP GMS, Souna3 and
Group B: Ankoutess, Ex-Borno, Gamoji, Moro). The genetic populations were developed
using factorial mating design. Two locations were used and the experiment was
Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Analysis of variance showed
significant differences among genotypes for plant height, peduncle length, spike length,
spike diameter, days to 50% flowering and grain yield. This indicated presence of
considerable influence of environment on the genotypes. At Bengou location, the hybrid
Guerguera x Ex-Borno produced the highest positive heterosis for plant height (3.79%),
stem diameter (3.16%), peduncle diameter (10.08%) and grain yield (128.72%). Across
locations, HKB showed maximum negative GCA value for days to 50% flowering; the
result showed that the line could be used in improving early maturity. Ex-Borno exhibited
the highest positive GCA effects for grain yield. Specific combining ability across locations
indicated that seven crosses showed improved grain yield while ten crosses manifested
earliness for days to 50% flowering. Path coefficient analysis reveals that plant height,
number of tillers per plant and peduncle diameter were the three factors that exerted the
greatest influence both directly and indirectly upon grain yield. The correlation between grain yield and plant height as well as the direct cause of plant height on grain yield indicate
that when other variables are held constant, increasing plant height could directly increase
grain yield. The result indicated that indirect selection through plant height and more
tillering in pearl millet could be effective for high yielding. Thus hybrids can be used to
overcome the problem of recurrent production deficit over environments. It was observed
from the study that Guerguera x Ex-Borno could be recommended as a good hybrid across
the test locations.
Description
A thesis submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, Ahmadu Bello
University, in partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Science in
Plant Breeding
DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCE
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
MARCH, 2012
Keywords
HETEROSIS,, COMBINING, ABILITY,, GRAIN YIELD,, AGRONOMIC,, AGRONOMIC TRAITS, PEARL MILLET, (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)