Heterotic Studies for Yield and Yield Attributing Characters in Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn)

Abstract

In the present investigation twelve crosses were generated by crossing three lines with four testers in Line × Tester mating design during kharif 2023 at Agricultural Research Station, Perumallapalle, Tirupati. Twelve crosses along with seven parents and check (Tirumala) were evaluated during rabi 2023-24 in Randomised Block Design with two replications at Agricultural Research Station, Perumallapalle, Tirupati. ANOVA revealed significant difference among genotypes for all characters studied. Heterosis studies helps in finding out superior hybrids over mid parent (Average heterosis), better parent (heterobeltiosis) and standard check (economic heterosis). Among the crosses, PPR1216 × VL 400 was identified as superior cross as it recorded high magnitude of per se performance and all three types of heterosis for days to 50% flowering, number of productive tillers per plant, number of fingers per ear and grain yield per plant. The heterosis will be exploited through selection of superior and character specific genotypes in the segregating generations for the evolution of high yielding varieties. Statistical analysis was carried out by using OP STAT and R Software.