This investigation was done to estimate the performance, heterosis and combining ability in grain sorghum by using line × tester analysis. Five Egyptian cytoplasmic male sterile lines (females) were crossed with four Indian restorer lines (males) in a line x tester mating design at Shandaweel Research Station, in 2020 summer season. The twenty resulted crosses and, their parental lines (9) plus one check hybrid (SH-305) were assessed in the summer growing seasons, 2021 and 2022 at Shandaweel Res. Sta. The Data were recorded on the following traits, days to 50% flowering, panicle length, plant height, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/plant. Mean squares due to males, females and their interaction were highly significant concerning all studied traits. The best female lines for general combining ability (GCA) effects was BSH-3 and BSH-13 for earliness, and plant height, respectively, BSH-1and BSH-9 for panicle length and grain yield/plant respectively, BSH-1 and BSH-5 for 1000-grain weight. The best restorer lines (males) for GCA effects was Indian exotic-12 for most studied traits. Meanwhile, the best cross for specific combining ability (SCA) effects was ASH-13 x Indian exotic-12 for earliness and grain yield/plant, ASH-13 x Indian exotic-2 for high plant height, ASH-13 x Indian exotic-4 for short plant height, ASH-2 x Indian exotic-2 for panicle length and ASH-1 x Indian exotic-2 for heavy 1000-grain weight. The four crosses, ASH-1 x Indian exotic-4, ASH-1 x Indian exotic-8, ASH-9 x Indian exotic-8 and ASH-13 x Indian exotic-12 had desirable values for heterosis compared to better parent and superior compared to the check hybrid for most studied traits. These crosses will be subjected to large-scale field-testing to verify if they are suitable for release as commercial hybrids.
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