Potential general combiners for grain mold resistance in kharif-sorghum

Grain mold is a significant biological obstacle to enhancing the quality and production of kharif sorghum. Mold damage can manifest in various forms, such as discolored grains, diminished grain filling and size, impaired seed germination, the presence of mycotoxins, lowered density and test weight, changed composition of the grain, poor storability, reduced nutritional value, decreased consumer acceptability, and a market price. The present investigation was taken up to find out the general combining ability effects in 45 F1 crosses developed by crossing ten diverse parents having differential reaction to grain mold in half diallel mating design. Study revealed that among the parents, four parents viz., AKGMR 118, CSV 34, AKGMR117 and PDKV Kalyani were appeared to be potential donor parents for exploitation of grain mold resistance as these parents exhibited significant desirable gca effects for germination percentage, threshed grade mold rating along with most of the grain mold resistance contributing traits and grain yield per plant. These parents may be included as a promising good general combiner parent in grain mold resistance breeding programme for improvement of grain mold resistance together with grain yield, which ultimately leads in fetching remunerative price in market.