Studies on heterosis and inbreeding depression in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]

The present study was carried out with a view to know the extent of heterosis and inbreeding depression for grain yield and its attributes in pearl millet. Most of the crosses exhibited significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis coupled with inbreeding depression for all the characters studied indicating the presence of non-additive gene action. From the study heterosis breeding is suggested for all the characters except earhead length and girth. For earhead length and girth recurrent selection should be advocated in which desired segregants should be selected and intercrossed to concentrate the favourable genes for synthesizing the elite population.