Dissecting Yield Determinants through Genetic Parameters Analysis in Diverse Restorer Lines of Pearl Millet

Abstract

Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. is a nutritionally rich, drought-tolerant cereal crop widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in India and sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its adaptability to harsh environments, the crop’s productivity remains suboptimal due to complex genetic control of yield and its component traits. Limited characterization of genetic variability and inter-trait relationships hampers the efficiency of selection in breeding programmes. The present investigation aimed to evaluate 77 diverse restorer lines of pearl millet, acquired from ICRISAT, Hyderabad, to assess genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis for yield and related traits. The field experiment was conducted during the Kharif, 2023 at the Experimental Farm, RVSKVV, Gwalior, employing a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two replications. Substantial genetic variability was observed across all the ten quantitative traits. High heritability (>95%) and genetic advance were recorded for seed yield per plant, harvest index and 1000-seed weight, indicating existence of additive gene action. Furthermore, correlation and path coefficient analysis revealed that harvest index, biological yield, and seed weight exhibited strong positive direct effects on seed yield, making them reliable indicators for selection. In contrast, numbers of productive tillers had a high indirect contribution via seed weight and biological yield. The findings underscore the significance of selecting genotypes with superior harvest index, seed weight and biomass to improve grain yield in pearl millet. These traits can serve as key selection criteria for genetic enhancement in future breeding programmes.