Studies on estimation of heterosis for green yield and contributing attributes in fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L.)

The present investigation was carried out during Kharif seasons of year 2013-14 and 201415 at the Instructional Dairy Farm of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The experimental material was developed by mating five male sterile lines as tester parents of sorghum with eight lines in line x tester mating design. The field experiment with 55 treatments including 40 F₁s, 5 CMS lines as testers, 8 pollinator lines as lines and two standard checks was planted in randomized block design with three replications during both years in kharif seasons. Among pollinators, 11A2 and M35-1 performed best with all testers. For green fodder yield, most of the crosses exhibited singnificant and positive values for batter parent and mid parent heterosis while singnificant and positive standard parent heterosis was recorded only for one cross i.e. 11A₂ x UPC2 (16.34). Among all crosses, 11A₂ x UPC2 performed best for most of the characters and can be recommended as potential parental combination for further testing for varietal improvement of sorghum.