Influence of Maleterility Inducing Cytoplasm on Hybrid Heterosis for Bioenergy Traits in Sweet Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Influence of male sterility inducing cytoplasm on heterosis with respect to ethanol yield and its attributing traits in sweet sorghum was studied in 48 hybrids developed by crossing six A- lines viz., ICSA 631, ICSA 731, ICSA 324, ICSA 500, ICSA 38 and ICSA 84 and their corresponding B- lines with four R- lines viz., SEREDO, ICSV 700, ICSV 111 and E 36-1 in a line × tester mating design. The 16 parents and their 48 hybrids were grown separately in contiguous blocks in single row of 3m length with 0.15 m × 0.60 m spacing in simple lattice design with two replications at the experimental plots of Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK), University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore. Presence of an average level of heterosis for all the traits studied were evident as exemplified by significant mean squares due to parents vs. hybrids. While cytoplasmic influence was apparent for midparent heterosis under individual nuclear genetic background for all the traits, no definite trend favoring any particular cytoplasm was observed.