Table 7 Panmictic better parent heterosis (above diagonal) and panmictic mid-parent heterosis (below diagonal) of 91 pearl millet population hybrids across three locations.

EC C6

− 32.51*

− 13.01

− 5.67

− 27.48

− 10.31

8.11

25.10

2.71

− 19.36

− 18.84

− 5.57

20.45

− 17.29

ICMP 98107

− 21.70

− 17.15

− 2.69

− 21.24

− 14.78

− 11.24

− 0.74

− 7.63

− 3.97

− 18.63

4.80

-17.52

− 6.49

NWC C2

− 7.87

− 8.70

16.97

− 10.44

6.67

8.61

− 1.61

− 15.02

− 21.50

− 10.06

− 0.55

1.44

− 2.96

ICMP 87237

4.11

2.90

22.21

11.47

9.28

7.43

9.87

11.17

− 16.53

− 2.65

− 12.43

2.87

6.78

GB 8735

− 18.80

− 17.98

− 4.99

13.27

7.09

− 6.10

− 3.00

11.90

− 7.69

− 5.28

− 13.80

8.91

29.86*

GICKV 98771

− 1.28

− 9.62

11.12

9.62

9.14

3.96

3.66

6.47

− 10.96

− 4.64

5.32

5.08

− 12.21

ICMS 7704

24.43

15.72

31.23*

34.37*

18.85

29.72*

42.99*

0.80

− 15.37

− 7.83

10.87

8.98

0.59

ICMV 155

27.34*

16.89

5.97

23.20

10.31

15.92

62.08**

− 1.95

− 5.05

− 19.51

24.99

9.63

− 14.06

SOSAT C88

15.89

− 4.63

− 9.10

13.95

12.90

9.45

28.43*

12.35

− 17.72

− 18.52

5.37

1.07

2.48

Sudan I

− 3.54

− 0.40

− 10.61

− 8.65

− 0.44

− 2.28

13.17

15.20

− 11.99

− 1.54

− 20.66

− 16.43

− 6.73

Ugandi

− 5.54

− 18.33

− 0.55

3.30

− 1.01

1.48

20.48

− 4.93

− 15.57

1.76

− 17.75

− 12.19

− 17.58

MRC G.blk

− 0.64

16.22

0.15

− 7.90

− 7.96

10.45

33.22*

33.74**

13.46

− 9.12

− 8.50

1.90

− 3.10

HHVBC

29.48*

− 10.41

3.05

5.85

13.82

7.80

33.33*

19.80

6.52

− 6.15

− 4.30

4.23

12.87

ICMP 87307

− 6.95

− 3.14

3.49

9.10

30.59**

− 10.04

27.84*

− 1.80

2.83

0.07

− 14.32

4.00

18.58