LINE X TESTER ANALYSIS IN LOCAL ECOTYPES OF PEARL-MILLET [PENNISETUM-TYPHOIDES (BURM) S-AND-H] OF SIKAR DISTRICT OF RAJASTHAN FOR QUALITY ATTRIBUTES

A line x tester analysis with 143 lines (S1 progenies) developed from local ecotypes collected from Sikar district of Rajasthan and 5 tester s of fodder pearl millet revealed that differences between the progeni es were significant for all the quality characters studied. Combining ability analysis indicated that variances due to GCA were non-signific ant while the variances due to SCA were significant for all the qualit ative traits studied, indicating preponderance of non-additive gene ac tion in the control of the inheritance of the quality traits. Comparis on on the basis of GCA effects indicated that lines 62 and 131 are the desirable ones for most of the quality traits studied. The crosses ex hibiting desirable SCA effects had testers which did not have desirabl e GCA effects for the quality traits.