Estimates of genetic components for yield and its related traits in pearl millet hybrids (Pennisetum glaucum L. R. Br.)

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L) R.Br.] is an important millet crop of semi-arid region in India. A total of 17 hybrids was evaluated in randomized block design with three replications during summer 2022 at Regional Research Station, AAU, Anand, Gujarat. In middle Gujarat, large area under summer bajra cultivation so our objective to estimate variability parameter and it’s inter and intra relation between different quantitative traits. Significant differences were observed among the hybrids for all the traits studied. The narrow difference between PCV and GCV values for all studied traits indicates little influence of environment on expression and High PCV and GCV values were obtained for productive tillers per plant panicle length dry panicle weight, grin yield and fodder yield per plant suggested that there was a possibility of improvement of these traits through direct selection. High heritability observed for all the traits while moderate for plant population and fodder yield per plant. High heritability along with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for plant height indicates important of this trait in selection and crop improvement. Correlation study revealed that the traits like plant population, plant height, Dry earhead weight and fodder yield exhibited significant and positive correlation with grain yield. Dry earhead weight, plant height and penicle length showed highest positive direct effecton grain yield at genotypic level. Hence, main emphasis should be given to these traits in breeding programme for development of high yielding bajra hybris under middle Gujarat condition.