Line X Tester Analysis in Finger Millet

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) or ragi is an important food crop in Africa and south Asia. Ragi an important member of the small millets is cultivated for its grain and fodder. It has dual importance as a source of food grain as well as straw. Finger millet is commonly called as ?nutritious millet? as the grains are nutritiously superior to many cereals providing fair amount of protein, minerals, calcium and vitamins in abundance to the people. The protein of finger millet is considered to be ?Biologically complete? as in the case of milk. Considering pooled per se and gca of parents of four parents viz., CO (Ra)14, GPU 28, K 7, PR 202 pooled per se performance, sca effects and standard heterosis of two hybrids, CO (Ra)14 x PR 202 and GPU 28 x K 7 were found to be superior for yield, yield related traits. Observations on nine yield related traits viz., days 50 per cent flowering, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, number of finger per ear head, longest finger length, thousand grain weight, harvest index, plant dry fodder yield and single plant grain yield and three grain quality traits such as protein, Zn and Fe nutrient contents.