Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance in Pearl Millet (Penisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) Genotypes

Fifteen genotypes of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. R. Br.) were evaluated at Sudan University of Science and Technology, The Demonstration Farm, College of Agricultural Studies, Shambat, during the summer season 2009 and 2010. The present study was conducted to assess the magnitude of genetic variability, heritability in broad sense and genetic advance among fifteen pearl millet genotypes for some growth and grain yield characters. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used at each season. Highly significant differences (P≤ 0.01) were observed for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity in the both seasons, for plant height, leaf area, number of grains /plant, 1000 grain weight and grain yield (t/ha) in the summer season of 2009, for panicle length in the summer season of 2010. Also highly significant differences were observed for genotypes and genotypes × seasons interaction for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity. In general phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) estimates were higher than genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) estimates for all the studied characters in all genotypes displaying the influence of environment effect on the studied characters. The combined results for heritability showed that the high estimates of heritability and genetic advance were scored for days to 50% flowering and days to maturity indicating that these characters were under the control of additive genetic effects. The genotypes ICMV155 and SADC (long) scored the most minimum days to maturity (68) days whereas, the genotypes ICMW221 and Ugandi scored the highest yield values of 2.20 and 2.05(t/ha), respectively. Such genotypes can be manipulated for further improvement in millet breeding programs at the Sudan.