Heterosis For Yield Research Articles

Standard Heterosis for Seed and Oil Yield in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

This article is based on a study that was carried out to identify the best hybrid combinations giving high degree of useful heterosis for economic traits such as seed and oil yield in sunflower under high saline soil in coastal saline belts of West Bengal. The present study was carried out at Nimpith (West Bengal) in 2017-18 and 2018-19 with the specific objectives of identifying the standard heterotic cross combinations of sunflower hybrids and identifying the superior sunflower hybrids suitable for growing in rabi season in West Bengal’s agro-climatic conditions. A set of sunflower hybrids along with the three national checks, LSFH-171, KBSH-53 and DRSH-1, were evaluated in a randomized block design. The degree of heterosis varied for important useful characters among the different crosses. Presence of high heterosis in certain crosses and low in others suggested that the nature of gene action varied with genetic architecture of the parents. From the study, it may be concluded that the sunflower hybrids viz. CMS 519A X TSG-255, CMS 148A X EC-201868 and CMS 207A X R-272 may be promoted for AICRP multilocation trial or coordinated trial to evaluate their performance in Indian subcontinent. It is because of their superior traits for oil yield over the best national check sunflower hybrids in given environments.

Heterosis and Combining ability Estimates using Line x Tester Analysis to Develop Wide Compatibility and Restorer Lines in Rice

This investigation was conducted at Agriculture Research Station, Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during 2017 and 2018 seasons to study combining ability, gene action, heterosis, and degree of dominance for grain yield and its contributing traits in some wide compatibility lines. Eight genotypes included the three lines; O2428-P-7-7, Norti, Gz 5121-5-2 as female parents with five testers Dular, Nekken 1, Giza 178, Gz 5934-7-2-3 and IR 25571-31-1, are used in a line X testers cross. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among parents, crosses and line x tester interaction for all studied traits except panicle weight in parents. The ratio of K2 GCA / K2 SCA was more than unity for all studied traits indicated preponderance of additive gene effects in the expression of these traits except panicle weight. Rice varieties; Dular and Nekken 1 can be identified as wide compatible lines. Most of F1 crosses showed significant values in the heterosis for all studied traits. The crosses Norti X Nekken 1 and Norti X Giza 178 showed the highest values for mean performance and the three types of heterosis for grain yield. In addition, the highest significant positive values of specific combining ability were shown in the four cross combinations O2428-P-7-7 X IR25571-31-1, Gz 5121-5-2 X Gz 5934-7-2-3, Gz 5121-5-2 X Dular and Norti X Giza 178. The results of this study indicate that the parental lines can be used for improvement and utilized in hybrid rice breeding program.

Combining Ability, Heterosis and Gene Action for Grain Yield and Its Related Traits of Some WA-CMS with Tester Lines of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

An understanding the nature and relative extent of gene actions and combining ability is useful for a breeder to develop superior rice hybrids. In this association, an attempt was made to identify good general and specific combiners for selecting better parents and better cross combinations for developing high yielding and short duration rice hybrids. Four cytoplasmic male sterile lines viz., IR69625A, IR70368A, IR58025A and IR79575A were crossed with ten elite testers, 40 hybrids along with their fourteen parents were evaluated for grain yield and its related traits at the experimental farm of Rice Research and Training Center, Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during the rice-growing seasons of 2018 and 2019. The differences among genotypes, parents and crosses were highly significant for all studied traits. The specific combining ability (SCA) played the major role in determining inheritance traits, revealing that the largest part of the total genetic variability associated with most traits was a result of non-additive gene action. The parental line, IR58025A was demonstrated as a great general combiner for grain yield per plant and most of yield components and therefore could be utilized in future breeding programs to improve grain yield. HHZ12-SAL8-Y1-SAL1, HHZ5-Y7-Y2-SUB1 and HUA564 were seen as a good general combiner among testers for grain yield per plant and some studied traits. Four crosses, namely IR58025A / HHZ8-SAL9-DT2-Y2, IR70368A / WEED TOLERANT RICE1, IR70368A / HHZ12-SAL8-Y1-SAL1 and IR70368A / HHZ5-Y7-Y2-SUB1 exhibited significantly good specific combining ability effects for grain yield per plant. Hence, it can be seen that non-additive genetic effects are controlling the inheritance of the studied traits and indicated that selection for the traits inherited with this manner should be performed in the further generations.

Exploitation of Hybrid Vigor for Identification of Promising Sorghum F1 Hybrid for High Grain Yield and Resistance to Sorghum Midge

Sorghum is the second most grown cereal crop in Niger. However, sorghum production in the country is dominated by indigenous cultivars with low productivity. Productivity in grain sorghum has been achieved in developing countries around the world using hybrids. This study was conducted to evaluate heterosis in F1 sorghum hybrids for grain yield and resistance to midge. Fifty F1 sorghum hybrids were evaluated for grain yield and resistance to midge. Variation for grain yield, midge resistance, and flowering time was observed. The magnitude of better parent heterosis for grain yield and resistance to midge varied significantly among hybrids. Four hybrids combined high better parent heterosis for both grain yield and resistance to midge while eight hybrids were better than their better parent for resistance to midge. These hybrids performed well for grain yield and/or resistance to midge. Therefore, the parental lines involved in these hybrids can be advanced for commercial hybrids production or used in sorghum improvement programs.

Transcriptome and genome sequencing elucidates the molecular basis for the high yield and good quality of the hybrid rice variety Chuanyou6203

The yield heterosis of rice is sought by farmers and strong contributes to food safety, but the quality of hybrid rice may be reduced. Therefore, developing new varieties with both high yield and good quality is a heavily researched topic in hybrid rice breeding. However, the molecular mechanism governing yield heterosis and high rice quality has not been elucidated to date. In this study, a comparative transcriptomics and genomic analysis was performed on a hybrid rice variety, Chuanyou6203 (CY6203), and its parents to investigate the molecular mechanism and gene regulation network governing the formation of yield and quality stages. A total of 66,319 SNPs and InDels between CH3203 and C106B were detected in the 5′-UTR, exon, intronic, and 3′-UTR regions according to the reference genome annotation, which involved 7473 genes. A total of 436, 70, 551, 993, and 1216 common DEGs between CY6203 and both of its parents were identified at the same stage in panicles and flag leaves. Of the common DEGs, the numbers of upregulated DEGs between CY6203 and CH3203 were all greater than those of upregulated DEGs between CY6203 and C106B in panicles and flag leaves at the booting, flowering, and middle filling stages. Approximately 40.61% of mRNA editing ratios were between 0.4 and 0.6, and 1.68% of mRNA editing events (editing ratio ≥ 0.8) in CY6203 favored one of its parents at three stages or a particular stage, suggesting that the hypothetical heterosis mechanism of CY6203 might involve dominance or epistasis. Also 15,934 DEGs were classified into 19 distinct modules that were classified into three groups by the weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Through transcriptome analysis of panicles and flag leaves in the yield and quality stages, the DEGs in the green-yellow module primarily contributed to the increase in the source of CY6203 due to an in increase in photosynthetic efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency, and a small number of DEGs related to the grain number added spikelet number per panicle amplified its sink. The balanced expression of the major high-quality alleles of C106B and CH3203 in CY6203 contributed to the outstanding quality of CY6203. Our transcriptome and genome analyses offer a new data set that may help to elucidate the molecular mechanism governing the yield heterosis and high quality of a hybrid rice variety.

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Agronomic Traits, Husk and Cob Pigment Concentration of Maize

The objective of this study was to identify the maize inbred lines with good general combining ability (GCA), good specific combining ability (SCA), high heterosis for yield and phytochemicals, and the crosses with high yield of yellow kernels and high anthocyanin content in cobs and husk, which was probably related to the high antioxidant activity. The parental lines including five unpigmented females and five pigmented males were crossed in North Carolina design II. The parents, the resulting 25 hybrids, and 5 controls were evaluated at two locations in the dry season of 2016/2017. Additive and non-additive gene effects controlled the inheritance of grain yield, agronomic traits, and phytochemicals. KKU–PFC2 and KKU–PFC4 had the highest GCA effects for phytochemical traits in husk and cob, whereas Takfa1 and Takfa3 were good combiners for grain yield. F1 hybrids had significantly higher total anthocyanin content (TAC), total phenolic content (TPC), (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH), and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) in husk and cob than pigmented control cultivars. The hybrids superior for individual traits were identified, but the experiment was not able to identify superior hybrids for multiple traits. The Takfa3 × KKU–PFC5 and NakhonSuwan2 × KKU-PFC4 had the highest anthocyanin in husk and cobs, respectively. The breeding strategies to develop maize varieties with high anthocyanins and normal yellow kernels and utilization of the hybrids are discussed.

Assessing Effect of Marker-Based Improvement of Maize Synthetics on Agronomic Performance, Carotenoid Content, Combining Ability and Heterosis

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a serious problem in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and other parts of the world. Understanding the effect of marker-based improvement (MARS) of two maize synthetics (HGA and HGB) representing different heterotic groups on their agronomic performance, carotenoid content, and combining abilities could help identify suitable sources to develop divergent inbred lines for optimizing heterosis. This study involved three selection cycles each of the two synthetics and their nine varietal-cross hybrids together with a released check variety was conducted across four diverse locations in Nigeria in 2018 and 2019. Environment and hybrid effects were significant on grain yield and other agronomic traits as well as provitamin A content and other carotenoids. Genetic improvement per cycle of MARS in the parental synthetics was 15% for provitamin A, 25% for β-carotene and 26% for lutein in HGA and 4% for grain yield, 3% for zeaxanthin and 5% for α-carotene in HGB. Grain yield and agronomic traits of the two maize synthetics were controlled by additive and non-additive gene effects, while provitamin A content and other carotenoids were mainly controlled by additive gene effects. Some selection cycles which were high in grain yield and provitamin A content were identified as potential sources of new and divergent maize inbred lines in maize breeding programs. Some varietal-cross hybrids expressed significant mid-parent heterosis for grain yield and moderate mid-parent heterosis for provitamin A, β-carotene and xanthophylls. These hybrids could be commercialized at reasonable prices to small-scale farmers in rural areas that are most affected by vitamin A deficiency.

Heterosis for Ethanol Yield and Yield Components in Sweet Sorghum

The improvement of sweet sorghum for biofuel traits is gaining attention globally because of its promising role in the growth and sustainability of the ethanol production chain. The aim of this study was to assess the heterosis on ethanol yield and related agro-industrial traits in sweet sorghum under tropical conditions. Thirty hybrids were generated from a partial diallel scheme using three juicy stem non-sweet female lines (A) with cytoplasmic male sterility crossed with ten sweet sorghum male fertile restorer lines (R). The hybrids, parental lines, and two checks were evaluated in three environments in Brazil. Heterosis in sweet sorghum was observed for ethanol yield (ETH) and several yield components. Four hybrids showed positive heterosis on the R-line basis for ETH. The heterosis was higher for PH (plant height), GMP (green or fresh biomass production), and tons of brix per hectare. The parental A and R-lines diverged in contributing to the heterosis. The lines BR008A and CMSXS644R have been highlighted for ethanol yield and can be included in future A and R-line development.

Heterosis studies in 6-rowed barley (Hordeum vulgare) under different sowing condition

A set of diallel crosses involving 10 diverse parents (excluding reciprocals) of barlay (Hordeum vulgare L.) was made and its F2’s were evaluated under three different date of sowings during rabi 2015-16 and 2016-17 at RARI, Durgapura, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Heterosis for grain yield per plant ranged from -20.75 to 41.86 %; -21.95 to 39.65 %and -48.13 to 64.34 % under early (E1), normal (E2) and late (E3) sowing conditions, respectively. Out of 45 crosses, nine crosses in E1 and fifteen crosses in each E2 and E3 exhibited positive significant heterosis while, seven crosses in E1 and E3 and nine crosses in E2 exhibited positive significant heterobeltiosis. Negative significant inbreeding depression for grain yield per plant was reported. Overall, crosses BHS 400 × PL 426, PL 426 × RD 2552 and BH 959 × RD 2552 exhibited positive significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis. Hence, these crosses considered to be most desirable for grain yield per plant. The study revealed good scope for commercial exploitation of heterosis as well as isolation of pure lines among the progenies of heterotic F1 for improvement of yield.

Combining Ability and Heterosis for Fodder Yield and Other Associated Traits in Oat (Avena sativa L.) القدرة على التآلف وقوة الهجین لمحصول العلف والصفات المرتبطة الأخرى فی محصول الشوفان

Combining ability and heterosis studies were performed on half diallel mating. The basic material for the present study consisted of six diverse genotypes of oats viz: Alguda, Anatolia, Kangaroo, ICARDA tall, Bihuth and Shifa'.15 F1 hybrids and their parents were grown in randomized complete block design with three replications. Observations were recorded on six quantitative traits. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the parents and their crosses for all the studied traits. The estimates of variance due to non-additive gene action (σ2D) was much higher than the corresponding additive genetic variance (σ2A) for all the traits under evaluation.Values of GCA effects revealed that ICARDA tall was found to be the best general combiner for biological yield amongst all the parents. It was also found to have significant positive GCA values for other traits. On the basis of significant SCA effects, hybrids ICARDA tall x Bihuth and Alguda x Bihuth recorded highest SCA effects for biological yield, also showed positive and significant SCA values for other traits. The F1 hybrids were showed the best specific combinations viz; Bihuth x shifa' for days to 50% heading and days to 75% maturity, Anatolia x Kangaroo for plant height at maturity,Anatolia x Bihuth for numbers of tillers. Highest significant and positive heterosis for biological yield was shown by F1 hybrid Alguda x Bihuth followed by ICARDA tall x Bihuth. These crosses combinations also exhibited highly values with positive and significant heterobeltiosis for two traits viz; plant height at maturity and growth rate.

Determining genetic combining ability, heterotic potential and gene action for yield contributing traits and Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus (YVMV) resistance in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus(L.) Monech.)

AbstractBreeding for resistance to biotic stress and higher yield is a continuous process. Thus, the identification of desirable parents with good combining ability and nature of gene action for the target trait is of utmost importance. Hence, in this present investigation, 10 lines and three testers of Okra were crossed in line × tester mating design to generate 30 testcross progenies and their evaluation along with parents and check in a randomized complete block design with three replications. To depict the true picture of genetic variation among the parental genotypes, molecular diversity analysis was also carried out using genomic-simple sequence repeats before crossing to ascertain that sufficient variability is present among the parents. The molecular analysis grouped the parental genotypes into four clusters (I–IV). The analysis of variance revealed that all the treatments were significant for most of the traits. The combining ability analysis suggested Pusa A-4 as the best general combiner for earliness, Pusa Bhindi-5 for high yield, and DOV-92 for fruit length, plant height, yield per plant, and coefficient of infection for Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus Disease resistance. Similarly, the specific combining ability analysis suggested that the cross combinations DOV-92 × Pusa Bhindi-5 followed by DOV-92 × Pusa A-4 and DOV-92 × Pusa Sawani exhibit high economic heterosis for yield per plant as well as for disease resistance. Finally, estimation of the degree of dominance and predictability ratio was also worked out which indicated the prevalence of non-additive gene action for most of the traits pointing towards sufficient scope for heterosis breeding in Okra.

Study on heterosis for yield and quality traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

To know the extent of heterosis among the selected 21 crosses derived from the diallel mating system using seven parents regarding yield and quality traits. The magnitude of heterosis was high for grain yield and protein content and moderate to high for plant height, ear bearing tillers per plant, number of primaries per panicle, L/B ratio, head rice recovery and GT score. The best heterotic crosses for grain yield were erramallelux NLR 33637 and IR 72 x NLR 33637. The high heterotic effects in the hybrids may be due to predominant role of non additive component in the inheritance of the characters studied.

Heterosis studies for yield and fibre quality traits in American cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

In the present study forty five intra-hirsutum hybrids along with their parents and standard check were evaluated to estimate the magnitude of heterosis for yield and fibre quality traits at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur during Kharif, 2017-18. The standard heterosis was calculated over check hybrid, LAHH 5. The hybrid combinations, SCS-1207 × GSHV-177, GSHV-177 × L1231 and SCS-1207 × PBH-13 were found to be promising for seed cotton yield plant-1 along with majority of yield components and fibre quality traits in terms of standard heterosis. These genotypes may be evaluated over locations for further confirmation of their superiority for exploiting them commercially.

Combining ability and gene action analysis for yield and yield attributing traits in rice (Oryza sativa.L)

Six lines and four testers were involved in the combining ability and gene action study in line x tester mating design to discern desirable general and specific combiner for breeding programme. The combining ability variance indicated that sca variance was higher than gca variance indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene action for the characters studied viz., days to 50 percent flowering, panicle length, plant height, the number of grains per panicle, the number of tillers per plant, the number of productive tillers per plant, flag leaf length, flag leaf breadth, spikelet fertility, test weight and single plant yield. Among the parents, Improved White Ponni, RG192, RG163 and RG105 were discovered as the best general combiners for single plant yield. The cross combinations viz., ADT37 X RG163, ADT43 X RG105, ADT45 X RG163, ADT(R)48 X RG105, CO51 X Kavuni and Improved White Ponni X RG192 were the ideal specific combiners for single plant yield. Therefore, the aforementioned cross combinations may be employed in the upcoming breeding programmes in order to develop a higher heterosis for yield.

G × E interaction studies in relation to heterosis and stability of grain yield in maize (Zea mays L.)

Interaction of homozygous inbreds and heterozygous single, three way and double crosses with environment had shown a differential response in achieving yield stability. Seven diverse maize inbreds, their 21 single crosses and 105 each of three way and double crosses obtained through diallel were evaluated for twelve characters across three diverse locations to estimate comparative stability of homozygous and heterozygous genotypes for grain yield. Contrasts in heterobeltiosis, combining ability and stability parameters in three environments and interaction effects were observed. Gain in heterobeltiosis (%) for grain yield was observed with decreased environmental quality in different hybrid classes suggesting that heterozygous hybrids are more stable due to individual buffering in single crosses and both individual and population buffering in case of three way and double crosses. Significant increase in SCA effects was observed in moderate environment at Hyderabad rather than at high yielding environment Palem. Significant G × E and Environment (linear) in all the crosses was observed for grain yield suggesting the effect of environment and its pre dominant effect on grain yield. Stability of hybrids was attributed to their superior performance over the parents in low yielding environment. Thus the potential use of selected heterozygous hybrids would allow under diverse environments is suggested to mitigate losses arising out of climate change.

Heterosis for yield and physio-biochemical traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different environmental conditions

The heterosis study for grain yield and yield attributes was carried out in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through half diallel mating design in four environments. The pooled analysis of variance revealed significant differences between the environments for all the characters, indicating that environments had significant effect on the expression of different characters. The variance due to parents and F1 was also significant for all the characters, indicating significant difference between parents and hybrids and average heterosis was there. The magnitude of heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis altered for all the crosses and for all the characters. For the traits viz., total protein content, chlorophyll content, proline content, chlorophyll stability index and grain yield per plant quite a large number of crosses manifested positive significant heterosis over the checks. The hybrids HI 1544 × HD 2987, Raj 4037 × HD 2987, PBW 175 × HD 2987, HD 2932 × Raj 4079 and PBW 175 × Lok 1 exhibited the highest, significant and positive heterotic effect and mean performance for grain yield per plant and some of its important component traits. This could be exploited commercially for heterosis breeding in wheat.

Combining ability and heterosis for yield, precocity and height in yellow maize genotypes

The objective of the present study was to determine the general combinatorial aptitude (GCA), specific combinatorial aptitude (SCA) and heterosis in inbred lines of yellow maize and its crosses for, the yield of grain, height of plant and ear and days to male and female flowering. Six inbred lines from CIMMYT, their direct crosses and four controls were evaluated at UNALM during 2016-2018, under a 5 x 5 lattice design with four repetitions. The effects of GCA and SCA were calculated using method II, model I of Griffing. Heterosis was measured based on the mean and best parent. Heterosis was measured based on the mean and best parent. The combined analysis of years showed significance (p ≤ 0.01) in: genotypes by years for days to male and female flowering; GCA for years for days to male flowering and SCA for years for days to female flowering. The effects of ACG for grain yield were significant in lines CML 229 and CML 428, for plant height, precocity, ear and precocity CML 487 line highlighted. The effect of ACE was superior in the cross CML 453 x CML 486 for the grain yield character. Heterosis was higher for the grain yield in the CML 229 x CML 453 and CML 453 x CML 487 crosses. The GCA / SCA relationship evidenced effects of additive genes on plant height, days to male and female flowering, therefore, for grain yield and ear height, non-additive effects governed.

Heterosis in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for Yield and Yield Component Traits

Estimates of heterosis for F1 hybrids over mid and better parent were computed for traits that showed significant differences between genotypes on analysis of variance. Heterosis for yield components and yield was studied using 8x8 half diallel cross in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The heterosis for yield was generally accompanied by heterosis for yield components. Heterosis for marketable fruit yield per plant ranged from (-63.4%) (P3xP8) to (33.8%) (P6xP8) and (-62.5%) (P3xP8) to (52.6%) (P5xP7), for mid parent and better parent respectively. Significant heterosis over better and mid-parent was observed for all the traits. Best parent and Mid-parent heterosis (MPH) was highest and in desirable direction for number of marketable fruit per plant (29.3%; 29.2%) in crosses ( P3xP6 for both ) and pericarp thickness (46.3%; 57.6%) in crosses (P2xP6 and P4xP8), number of fruit cluster per plant (32.8%; 35.9%) in cross (P3xP6 for both), individual fruit weight (36.1%; 41.2%) in cross (P2xP8, P3xP5) and fruit diameter (28.4%; 28.3%) in cross (P3xP5; P2xP6), fruit length (23.07%; 20.4%) in cross (P2xP6 for both). Out of 28 F1 crosses, positive and desirable heterosis by 10 crosses over better parent and 17 crosses over mid-parent were observed for total fruit density in tomato. An important heterosis both in heterobeltiosis and mid-parent was recorded in marketable fruit yield in ton per hectare. From all the crosses, seven crosses revealed positive from which three crosses are the most important P2xP7 (31%), P3xP5 (20%) and P3xP6 (54%) in better parent heterosis. Similarly for mid-parent heterosis, only ten crosses out of 28 reveled positive while the rest 18 crosses showed the undesirable direction for marketable fruit yield indicating majority of the hybrids exhibited unfavorable heterotic response and only a few hybrids could be considered for selection.

Arabidopsis Col/Ler and Ws/Ler hybrids and Hybrid Mimics produce seed yield heterosis through increased height, inflorescence branch and silique number.

The seed yield increase of the hybrids and their derived Mimics compared to parents is associated with increased plant height and inflorescence branch number which are correlated with decreased expression of FT, SOC1 and FUL. In Arabidopsis, plant size has been extensively investigated, but few studies have been carried out on seed yield heterosis. In hybrids between Columbia (Col) and Landsberg erecta (Ler), and Wassilewskija (Ws) and Ler, there was significant seed yield heterosis. F6/F7 Hybrid Mimics derived from hybrids of each of the two systems had seed yield increases similar to that of the F1 hybrid (approximately 50-70% greater than the average of the parents). Increased seed yield of the Hybrid Mimics was accompanied by changes of plant architecture with increased plant height and increased inflorescence branch number relative to the parents. Three of the Hybrid Mimic lines derived from the Ws/Ler system had 20% increase in seed yield relative to the F1 hybrid. Genes which repress flowering were up-regulated and the expression levels of flowering -promoting genes including FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1 (SOC1) and FRUITFULL (FUL) were negatively correlated with the increase in seed yield in both hybrids and F7 Mimics of both systems.

African and Asian origin pearl millet populations: Genetic diversity pattern and its association with yield heterosis

AbstractPearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R. Br.] is a staple food crop of arid and semi‐arid regions of Asia and Africa. Forty‐five pearl millet populations of Asian and African origin were assessed for genetic diversity using 29 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The SSR‐based clustering and structure analyses showed that Asian origin–Asian bred (As‐As) and African origin–African bred (Af‐Af) populations were distributed across seven clusters, indicating no strong relationship among populations with their geographical origin. Most of the African origin–Asian bred (Af‐As) populations had a higher average number of alleles per locus than As‐As or Af‐Af populations, and the majority of them clustered separately from As‐As or Af‐Af populations, indicating that introgression of African origin breeding materials led to the development of new gene pools adapted to the Asian region. Fourteen populations representing seven clusters were crossed according to a diallel mating design to generate 91 population hybrids (seeds of direct and reciprocal crosses were mixed) and evaluated at three locations in 2016. All the 91 hybrids when partitioned into three groups based on genetic distance (GD) between parental combinations (low, moderate, and high), revealed no correlation between GD and panmictic midparent heterosis in any of the groups, indicating that grain yield heterosis cannot be predicted based on GD. Two population hybrids (GB 8735 × ICMP 87307 and Sudan I × Ugandi) exhibited high levels of yield heterosis over standard checks and can be further utilized using different breeding schemes to develop high‐yielding pearl millet cultivars.