Combining ability for grain yield and its components in pearl millet was studied in 48 hybrids developed by crossing six A- and their six B-lines with 8 R-lines in a line x tester mating design. The three A- lines viz. 81A1, 81A4 and 81A5 and their corresponding B- lines represented three different systems of male sterility and were very diverse. The 12 parents and the 48 hybrids were grown separately in contiguous blocks in 2R × 4.0 m × 0.45 m in randomized block design with three replications in two environments viz., normal sown and late sown condition at Research Farm, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2013. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed that the mean squares due to lines, testers and lines × testers were significant for all the characters in both the environments except mean squares due to lines for grain yield in E2, days to 50% flowering in E2, panicle girth in both environments and harvest index in E1.The magnitude of sca variances exceeded to that of gca variances for all the characters viz. grain yield per plant, dry fodder yield per plant, days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, effective tillers, 1000-seed weight, panicle girth, panicle length and harvest index, indicated preponderance of non additive type of gene action in the expression of these traits. None of the parents– lines (sterile as well as maintainer) and tester proved to be good general combiner for all the characters and across the environments. The results indicated that line 1 (81A1) representing A1 male sterile cytoplasm proved to be good general combiner for earliness, panicle length and harvest index in one of the two environments and 4 (81B1) representing A1 system fertile cytoplasm (maintainer) combined favorably for grain yield, dry fodder yield and effective tillers. The combining ability of the lines 1/4 (81A1/81B1) and 2/5 (81A4/81B4) was not similar at CMS system level. Line 2 (81A4) combined better for effective tillers and line 5 (81B4) for plant height, dry fodder yield and 1000-grain weight. The line 6 (81B5) combined better for plant height only. The tester 14 (HTP 92/80) turned to be good general combiner in one or both the environments for grain yield and some other traits such as dry fodder yield, earliness and panicle length. The hybrid 3×11 (81A5×ERC/99/35) expressed significant positive sca effects in one of the two environments for grain yield major component traits such as effective tillers, panicle girth and harvest index (positive sca effects), therefore, this hybrid needs further vigorous testing. The crosses involving ERC/99/35, MRC/10/61, H77/29-2 and TCH 26-1 were found to be highly heterotic.

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