Department of Botany, Government Agricultural College, Kanpur (U.P.)
*Present address: Additional Director of Agriculture, U. P., Lucknow.
**Present address: Govt. Vegetable Research Station, Kalianpur, Kanpur (U.P.).
Using P1 P2, F1 F2, B1 and B2 generations of a cross between two inbred lines, gene effects were calculated for 15 grain- and fodder-yield contributing characters of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides S. and H.). The observed heterosis was interpreted in terms of these gene effects.
Additive gene effects (d) were highly significant for all the characters except for number of branches. Except days to flower all the characters were observed to be associated with highly significant dominance gene effects (h). Digenic epistatic gene effects were found less important than additive gene effects for most of the characters. The additive × dominance (j) type of digenic epistatic effects were found less important than other two types of non-allelic interactions (i and l). Duplicate epistasis was exhibited by plant height, number of inter-nodes, stem thickness, number of tillers, number of spike bearing tillers, number of spike bearing branches, leaf breadth, days to flower and 250 grain weight and complementary epistasis was observed for number of branches, leaf length, peduncle length, peduncle thickness, spike length and spike thickness.
Significant heterosis was observed for plant height, number of internodes, number of branches and number of spike bearing branches. Heterosis in all these characters arose largely from dominance component. Internal cancellation of components of heterosis was observed the cause for the absence of heterosis in other characters.
