Forty F1 grain sorghum crosses, their parents (eight CMS A-lines and five
male R-lines) and one commercial hybrid (H-306) as check were evaluated for
grain yield/plant and some other traits in 2011 and 2012 seasons at Shandaweel
Agric. Res. Station, Sohag, Egypt under three irrigation levels (100, 70% and
40% from optimum water irrigation level). The combined analysis across the
three levels of irrigation at each of the two years showed highly significant mean
squares due to irrigation levels, and genotypes and their interaction for all studied
traits, indicating genetic variability for all studied traits. In addition, highly significant
mean squares were found due to interaction of genotype × irrigation, indicating
differential response for different genotypes under different levels of irrigation
for all studied traits except for days of 50% flowering. Also, high significant
differences among genotypes, crosses, parents were found, for all studied
traits in the two seasons. These results reflect the important roles of both additive
and non-additive in the inheritance of number of days to 50% flowering, plant
height, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/plant. Female lines (ASH-6, ASH-11,
ICSA-37 and ICSA-88003) and the male lines (ICSR-92003 and ICSV-273) had
positive and highly significant general combining ability effects for grain yield
under the three irrigation levels over the two seasons. These lines had favorable
genes and would be considered good combiners for high yielding ability. The
crosses (ASH-8 × ICSR-89028) and (ICSA-37 × ICSR-92003) had positive and
highly significant SCA effects under the three of irrigation treatments over the
two seasons and would be considered the best combinations for grain yield