AN INTEGRATED APPROACH USING COMBINING ABILITY, HETEROSIS AND SELECTION INDICES TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PARENTS AND HYBRIDS IN PEARL MILLET [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

Abstract

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is an important climate-resilient cereal crop extensively cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions. The present investigation aimed to evaluate combining ability, heterosis and selection indices for identifying potential parents and hybrid combinations for yield improvement in pearl millet. In a Line × Tester mating design, 108 F₁ hybrids were produced by crossing nine cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines with twelve testers during summer of 2025, the hybrids and their parents were assessed for seven quantitative features using a Randomized Block Design with two replications. The analysis of variance indicated significant variations between genotypes for all of the variables, showing significant genetic variation. Combining ability analysis revealed that specific combining ability (SCA) variance was greater than general combining ability (GCA) variance for all traits, indicating the dominance of non-additive gene action. Among the parental lines, ICMA 1508 and ICMA 98222 were identified as superior general combiners, while GMR 250, PT 7052 and PT 7067 emerged as promising testers for yield contributing traits. Several hybrids exhibited significant positive sca effects and heterotic response for single plant yield and yield-contributing traits. The hybrids ICMA 04777 × PT 7052, ICMA 04777 × PT 7067, ICMA 02777 × PT 7065, ICMA 05888 × PT 6679 and ICMA 1508 × PT 6029 were identified as superior combinations using a novel integrated ranking approach based on per se performance, sca effects, heterosis and selection index. The predominance of non-additive gene action provides that heterosis breeding would be an effective strategy for yield improvement in pearl millet. The integrated ranking strategy developed in the present study provides a strong framework for the early identification and prioritization of superior parents and hybrids before multi-location evaluation, thereby enhancing selection efficiency in pearl millet hybrid breeding programmes.