Heterosis for earliness in pearl millet [Pennisetum Glaucum (L.) R BR.]

Analysis of variance of 11 x 11 half diallel set in E₁(Kharif, 2013-Dhule), E₂ (Kharif2013-Rahuri), E₃(Summer, 2014-Dhule), E₄(Summer, 2014-Rahuri) environments revealed significant mean sum of squares (MSS) due to treatments and its sub division (parents, hybrids and parents v/s hybrids) for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. The parents vs. hybrids differed significantly for all characters in all four environments ’except days to maturity in E₄ indicating sufficient variability among parents and hybrids which showed presence of heterosis in hybrids for these earliness traits.. Heterosis ranged from-8.24 to 3.87% and heterobeltiosis from-13.09 to 2.05% in pooled analysis for days to 50% flowering. While for days to maturity heterosis and heterobeltiosis ranged from-7.32 to 4.90% and-11.0 to 1.06%, respectively in pooled analysis. Among cross combinations, RHRBI 138 x S-12/30088 and S-12/30109 x S-12/30088 exhibited significant negative heterosis and heterobeltiosis in desirable direction for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity in all four environments. These cross combinations could be further exploited for obtaining desirable early transgressive segregants from segregating populations.