Heterosis studies for yield and its components in rabi sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.]

Abstract

Thirty two hybrids of rabi sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] resulting from 8 lines (local germplasm and derived lines) and 4 testers (three released varieties and a promising variety) along with their 12 parents were evaluated in a randomized block design with two replications during rabi 2001-02 at the National Research Centre for Sorghum, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Each entry was grown in two rows of 4m in length. The spacing was 60 cm between rows and 15 cm between plants. Observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants for plant height, head weight, number of primaries per panicle, 100 seed weight and grain Yield per plant. Heterosis was estimated over the mid-parent and better parent as per the standard procedures. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among parents and F1 hybrids for all the characters. The estimates of heterosis of F1 s over the mid-parent and better-parent for all the characters studied are presented in Table 1.