Line x tester analysis to estimate combining ability in grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

Authors

  • Héctor Williams-Alanís Ex-Investigador del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP). Campo Experimental Rio Bravo. Programa de Sorgo
  • Ulises Aranda Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, (INIFAP). Campo Experimental Rio Bravo. Programa de Sorgo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2885-5599
  • Gerardo Árcos Cavazos Ex-Investigador del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP). Campo Experimental Rio Bravo. Programa de Sorgo
  • Francisco Zavala Garcia Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL). Facultad de Agronomía
  • Marisol Galicia Júarez Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas. Carretera a Delta/ Oaxaca s/n. Ejido Nuevo León. Valle de Mexicali. Baja California. CP 2175 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3319-3673
  • María del Carmen Rodríguez Vázquez Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL). Facultad de Agronomía
  • Jorge Elizondo Barrón Ex-Investigador del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP). Campo Experimental Rio Bravo. Programa de Sorgo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8828-6768

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.39.078

Keywords:

Sorghum bicolor L., plant breeding, hybrids, parental lines, grain production

Abstract

Sorghum in Mexico ranks third in grain production. This study aimed to estimate general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for commercial and experimental sorghum grain parents and hybrids. The combining ability was estimated using the line x tester method described by Kempthorne. The experiment was established during the spring-summer 2018 cycle at INIFAP, Las Huastecas, México. It consisted of five lines, eight testers and 40 hybrids; in a randomized block design with three replications. The ANOVA showed highly significant differences for lines, testers, and line x testers, suggesting the existence of a broad base of genetic variability. GCA and SCA differences were statistically significant for grain yield, specific grain weight and plant height, indicating additive gene relevance, dominance and epistasis. For grain yield, the experimental lines: RB214A, RB225A and RB248A, and the testers RB133 and RB221, resulted significantly higher in GCA and superior to commercial RB225A line and RTx430 and RTx437 testers. Seventeen experimental hybrids were found to have significantly higher in SCA and were superior to INIFAP commercial hybrids.

Highlights

  • The combining ability was estimated using the line x tester method in grain sorghum; General Combining Ability (GCA) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA) were important for grain yield, grain specific weight and plant height.
  • GCA and SCA differences were statistically significant for grain yield, specific grain weight and plant height, in grain sorghum, indicating additive gene relevance, dominance and epistasis.

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Published

19-12-2022

Issue

Section

Genetics and plant breeding