Identification of superior male sterile lines and landraces based on simultaneous selection indices and PCA analysis among pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] genotypes

Abstract

Two male sterile lines and thirty pearl millet genotypes were evaluated to identify potential genotypes based on their selection indices and spatial distances. The traits grain number per panicle recorded maximum expected genetic advance, followed by plant height, leaf length, green fodder yield, grain number per unit structural panicle mass, total biomass and days to 50%flowering. The first six principal components with more than one eigen value contributed 83.7 % of variability in the studied genotypes. Based on simultaneous selection indices and PCA analysis the landraces 2348, 2325, 2328, 2370, 2382, 2368 and male sterile line ICMA 97111 recorded highest selection index values and were also spatially diverse in 2D and 3D scatter diagrams. Hence, the cross combinations resulted from these genotypes may result the development of superior hybrids. The identified landraces will also be improved as new inbred lines by population improvement methods.