INDRANI CHAKRABORTHY, PUMMY KUMARI*, S. K. PAHUJA, J. TOKAS AND VINOD KUMAR
Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding,
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
Department of Biochemistry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : pummy.hau@gmail.com)
(Received : 14 August 2020; Accepted : 11 September 2020)
SUMMARY
Combining ability is widely adopted and handy tool for comparing performances of parental lines in hybrid combinations in plant breeding experiments. It helps in understanding the nature of gene action for yield and its related traits. The present study was conducted to study the combining ability effects and estimation of economic heterosis for morpho-physiological traits related to fodder production, quality traits and anti-nutritional factors in sorghum which had a deep impact on fodder quality and in turn animal health. The material for the present investigation comprised of twenty-five hybrids developed using ten parents in line × testers mating design and two standard checks (SSG 59-3 and CSH 24MF). Observations were recorded for twelve morphological, four quality and 2 anti-nutritional parameters. Economic heterosis was estimated for all the characters. Six hybrids 31A × SSG 59-3 (139.1%), 126A × IS 2205 (131.15%), 14A × SSG 59-3 (109.24%), 94031A × SSG 59-3 (108.52%), 126A × HJ 541 (98.64%) and 14A × IS 2205 (76.09%) exhibited high significant positive economic heterosis for Green fodder yield in 1st cut. Female parent 14A was the best combiner for leaf length, GFY and DFY in 1st cut, protein content and HCN content. Whereas, the male parent 94031A was the best combiner for stem diameter, leaf: stem ratio, GFY and DFY in 2nd cut, phenol content and IVDMD. The IS 18551 was the best combiner for leaf length and HCN content. The correlation analysis revealed that GFY 1st cut had significant positive correlation with PH, DFY 1stcut at both genotypic and phenotypic level; and had significant negative correlation with stem diameter and IVDMD at both genotypic level and phenotypic level, respectively.
Key words:Combining ability, forage sorghum, heterosis, forage quality, sorghum hybrids