Not AvailablePearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is a C4 plant with high photosynthetic efficiency and dry matter production capacity. Pearl millet is widely cultivated in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. It is mostly grown in Rainy (Kharif) season. Its grains are highly nutritious with high levels of metabolizable energy and protein. Utilization of different kinds of germplasm and breeding material is very critical in the diversification of cultivars. Being a cross pollinated crop, it provides very good opportunity for recombination and easy pollen flow, making hybrids more rewarding to the farming community. Identification of good maintainer (B) lines and Restorer (R) lines is of utmost importance to breed for hybrids. In this context, the present investigation was
carried out at Centre on Rabi sorghum (ICAR-IIMR), Solapur during Kharif 2017 and the study consists of two sets of material viz., 56 B lines and 65 R lines. These lines were evaluated in a Randomized Block Design with two replications. To utilize large number of lines is difficult hence to bring the number to utilizable size cluster analysis is very useful. The variability in six quantitative traits such as Days to 50% flowering, Plant height, Panicle length, Panicle thickness, Grain yield/plant, Fodder yield/plant was studied. Maximum variation was found in Panicle exertion (B; CV=43.84, R; CV=38.48) followed by fodder yield per plant (B;CV=37.24, R; CV=37.54). All the six traits were used as variables in cluster analysis. In the present study four clusters were
assigned a priori in both B and R lines. The frequency classes in the qualitative traits were studied to identify the common and rare types in total set. It was found that 75% of lines were of intermediate Spikelet density and synchrony of maturity, 85.3% were with good Seed Yield Potential and 50% with good Fodder Yield Potential. The promising lines belonging to different clusters are to be crossed to broaden the genetic base. Superior ones are hybridized with their counter A linesICA
