Vol. 14, Issue 11 (2025)

The present investigation reported here was carried out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications at Agricultural Research Farm, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, during kharif, 2024. A set of thirty genotypes of Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] was utilized to estimate genetic variability and character association analysis. The pure seeds of these genotypes were obtained from various Research Stations and Institutes. The observations were recorded on five randomly selected plants in each genotype and from each replication except days to 50 per cent flowering, days to maturity, biological yield per plot and grain yield per plot which were counted on plot basis and their mean values were used for statistical analysis. The characters studied were days to 50 per cent flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), productive tillers per plant, panicle length (cm), panicle diameter (cm), grain yield per ear head, biological yield per ear head, grin yield per plot and harvest index.

The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the mean square due to genotypes for all the characters studied. The results suggesting the presence of sufficient amount of variability among the genotypes studied. In the present experimental material, maximum range of variation was observed for plant height (cm), productive tillers per plant, grain yield per ear head, biological yield per ear head, grain yield per plot, panicle length and panicle diameter as revealed by high values of coefficient of range. The high value of GCV was observed for productive tillers per plant followed by biological yield per ear head, grain yield per ear head and grain yield per plot.

High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance expressed as percentage of mean were observed for grain yield per plot followed by grain yield per ear head, panicle diameter which may be attributed to the preponderance of additive gene action and possess high selective value. High estimates of heritability coupled with low genetic advance was observed for panicle diameter and grain yield per plot, biological yield per ear head indicates presence of non-additive gene action. In general, the values of genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than their corresponding phenotypic counter parts. The characters viz., plant height, productive tillers per plant, panicle length, panicle diameter, grain yield per ear head, biological yield per head reported positive and highly significant genotypic as well as phenotypic correlations with grain yield per plot.