Table 8 Panmictic commercial heterosis (%) over hybrid check ProAgro 9444 (above diagonal) and OPV check ICTP 8203 (below diagonal) of 91 pearl millet population hybrids across three locations.

EC C6

− 42.21**

− 39.30**

− 28.00**

− 42.83**

− 31.96**

− 32.99**

− 22.45*

− 17.58

− 25.61**

− 29.98**

− 35.02**

− 13.24

− 34.08**

ICMP 98107

− 2.85

− 29.05**

− 16.67

− 32.55**

− 27.02**

− 24.00*

− 15.00

− 20.90*

− 11.42

− 29.80**

− 10.26

− 29.37**

− 19.93*

NWC C2

2.04

19.26

− 10.72

− 29.40**

− 19.08*

− 24.21*

− 31.34**

− 31.81**

− 27.59**

− 22.41*

− 30.60**

− 26.93**

− 22.65*

ICMP 87237

21.03

40.07*

50.08**

− 12.13

− 16.59

− 18.00

− 16.14

− 10.80

− 23.00*

− 16.02

− 33.16**

− 21.48*

− 14.89

GB 8735

− 3.91

13.37

18.67

47.70**

− 15.59

− 25.99**

− 23.54*

− 10.21

− 14.84

− 18.29

− 32.06**

− 14.15

3.51

GICKV 98771

14.37

22.67

36.02*

40.21*

41.89**

− 21.14*

− 21.36*

− 14.57

− 17.87

− 17.74

− 20.11*

− 20.28*

− 30.03**

ICMS 7704

12.65

27.76

27.40

37.83*

24.41

32.56*

− 14.48

− 19.11*

− 21.93*

− 20.49*

− 23.71*

− 21.50*

− 19.83*

ICMV 155

30.36

42.88**

15.41

40.96*

28.53

32.18*

43.76**

− 21.33*

− 12.41

− 30.56**

− 13.99

− 21.03*

− 31.50**

SOSAT C88

38.54*

32.96*

14.62

49.95**

50.94**

43.61**

35.97*

32.25*

− 24.10*

− 29.71**

− 15.45

− 18.90*

− 17.76

Sudan I

25.04

48.91**

21.73

29.43

43.15**

38.06*

31.23

47.23**

27.59

− 9.17

− 26.82**

− 22.91*

− 13.96

Ugandi

17.70

18.00

30.43

41.17*

37.35*

38.28*

33.66*

16.72

18.15

52.68**

− 29.05**

− 24.25*

− 28.90**

MRC G.blk

9.23

50.86**

16.66

12.35

14.21

34.30*

28.24

44.58**

42.13**

23.02

19.27

− 26.60**

− 22.77*

HHVBC

45.84**

18.72

22.83

31.99*

44.31**

34.00*

31.96*

32.75*

36.33*

29.59

27.33

23.38

− 10.03

ICMP 87307

10.81

34.59*

30.02

43.07**

74.00**

17.62

34.77*

15.15

38.23*

44.63**

19.51

29.82

51.23**