Combining ability studies on quality characters in cumbu napier hybrids

Abstract

Among the cereals, pearlmillet [Pennisetum glaueum (L.) R-Br.] is a grain cum fodder crop of the arid, semi arid tracts of India because of its growing habit with thick and succulent stem and its green fodder is very valuable as a cattle feed on account of its high albuminoid and fat contents and it can be fed to cattle without harm at any stage of growth because of absence of HCN [1]. Napier grass [Pennisetum purpureum (K.) Schum], an allied species of bajra is a perennial heavy yielder of low quality forage besides being less palatable. But it is otherwise endowed with virtues like tall growing, profusely tillering and high leafiness all of which go to contribute towards high biomass production [2]. The inter-specific hybrids between Bajra and Napier grass are highly vigorous and produces an abundance of quality forage. The hybrid combines the high yielding ability of Napier grass and good quality attributes of bajra and found to exhibit considerable heterosis for both yield and quality [3-5]. For developing better varieties or hybrids through hybridization, the choice of suitable parents is a matter of great concern to the plant breeder. Since the studies on combining ability of parents like bajra and napier grass are meager, the present investigation was undertaken to estimate combining ability of quality characters in interspecific hybrids of P. glaueum x P. purpureum.