R Narasimhulu and R Veeraraghavaiah

During the rainy season of 2018, thirty-seven pearl millet hybrids were investigated for genetic variability parameters and character association for nine different biometrical traits. Yield and its attributing traits revealed wide range of variability among the hybrids, especially for the grain yield that was to be exploited. Days to 50% flowering and days to maturity had low phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) values. Whereas, plant height, panicle length, panicle diameter, 1000-grain weight were low to medium and number of productive tillers per plant, dry fodder yield and grain yield were medium to high values. Overall, grain yield had high PCV, GCV, heritability and genetic advance as a per cent of mean, which is crucial for crop improvement selection criteria. Association studies revealed that grain yield was highly significant and positively correlated with panicle length followed by panicle diameter, plant height and days to maturity which suggested real relationship between these traits and grain yield. Hence, these traits were taken into consideration while developing yield-related selection criteria in pearl millet improvement program.

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