GENETIC ANALYSIS OF CMS BASED HYBRIDS AND THEIR PARENTS IN FODDER SORGHUM [Sorghum bicolor (L.), Moench

TLDR: The analysis of variance for experimental design revealed that the mean squares due to genotypes, parents and hybrids were highly significant for all the characters indicating that experimental material had sufficient genetic variability for all of the characters.

Abstract: Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.), Moench] has ability to grow in poor soil, faster growth habit, high yielding, palatable, nutritious quality and uniform green fodder yield throughout the year. The experimental material comprised of three cytoplasmic male sterile lines used as female parents, 12 genotypes used as male parents and resultant 36 F1s developed in a Line x Tester fashion and one standard check hybrid (CSH 13) were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications at Main Sorghum Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Surat during kharif-2015. The observations were recorded for eleven characters viz. days to 50% flower, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, stem girth, leaf: stem ratio, TSS%, HCN content, green and dry fodder yield per plant. The objectives of this investigation were to elicit information on heterosis, combining ability and gene action. The analysis of variance for experimental design revealed that the mean squares due to genotypes, parents and hybrids were highly significant for all the characters indicating that experimental material had sufficient genetic variability for all the characters. The variance due to Parent Vs hybrids was found highly significant for all the characters except HCN content indicating substantial amount of heterosis. The mean performance of parents revealed that none of the parents showed consistent superior performance for all the traits. Among females, AKMS 14A and 2219A while among males, CSV 21F, SRF 305, GFS 5, GFS 3 and