Studies on genetics and trait relationships with grain yield and other agronomic traits are critical for improving the micronutrients content in the grain and it forms an effective strategy for breeding bio fortified sorghum. It greatly contributes to addressing micronutrient malnutrition in poor people who are dependent on sorghum as a staple food. Development of hybrids with high grain Fe and Zn and higher yield enables delivery of commercial products that address both food and nutrition while bringing profits to farmers. The present study was aimed at developing suitable breeding strategy and improving breeding products using gene action, heterosis and combining ability analysis for improving the grain Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) concentration and grain yield in sorghum. This study was conducted in Line × Tester mating design involving seven parents. A total of 12 new hybrids were developed by mating three lines with four testers. The combining ability of the crosses indicated predominance of dominance variance than additive variance for the agronomic traits such as days to 50% flowering, grain yield, grain Fe and Zn concentrations except for plant height and 100 seed weight. Higher magnitude of SCA than GCA variance for grain iron and zinc concentrations indicated the importance of non-additive gene action in the improvement of nutritional traits. Hybrids exhibited heterosis for agronomic traits and for grain Fe concentration and grain Zn. Most of the traits showed significant positive heterosis over mid parent value indicating the predominance of dominant gene action except the trait 100 seed weight. Significant positive mid-parent heterosis for grain iron indicated that there would be an opportunity to exploit heterosis in improving for grain Fe. But for Zn concentration, there is a limited possibility for exploitation of heterosis. This study suggested that simple selection will improve plant height and 100 seed weight in sorghum but heterosis breeding is more useful for improving grain yield. While both parents need to be improved for improving grain Zn concentration, there is good scope for exploiting heterosis for improving grain Fe concentration in sorghum.

遗传和性状与谷物产量及其他农艺性状之间的关系研究对于提高谷物中的微量营养素含量至关重要，它是育种生物强化高粱的有效策略。它极大地有助于解决依赖高粱作为主食的贫困人口的微量营养素营养不良问题。高铁，锌高产量的杂交种的开发使得能够交付既能解决食品又能解决营养问题的商业产品，同时又能给农民带来利润。本研究旨在通过基因作用，杂种优势和结合能力分析来开发合适的育种策略和改良育种产品，以提高高粱中铁（Fe）和锌（Zn）的浓度以及单产。这项研究是在Line×Tester交配设计中进行的，涉及七个父母。通过将三个品系与四个测试仪配对，总共开发了12个新杂种。杂交的结合能力表明，在农艺性状上（如开花至50％的天数，籽粒产量，铁，锌含量除植物高度和100粒重以外），优势变异比加性变异占优势。谷物铁和锌浓度的SCA幅度高于GCA差异，表明非加性基因作用在改善营养性状中的重要性。杂种表现出对农艺性状，籽粒铁浓度和籽粒锌的杂种优势。大多数性状显示出高于中亲本的显着正杂种优势，表明除了性状100的种子重量外，优势基因作用占优势。谷物铁显着的正中亲杂种优势表明，有机会利用杂种优势改良铁。但是对于锌浓度，利用杂种优势的可能性有限。这项研究表明，简单选择可以提高高粱的株高和100种子重量，但是杂种优势育种对于提高谷物产量更有用。虽然父母双方都需要改善以提高谷物中的锌含量，但利用杂种优势改善高粱中铁的含量仍有很大的空间。这项研究表明，简单选择可以提高高粱的株高和100种子重量，但是杂种优势育种对于提高谷物产量更有用。虽然父母双方都需要改善以提高谷物中的锌含量，但利用杂种优势改善高粱中铁的含量仍有很大的空间。这项研究表明，简单选择可以提高高粱的株高和100种子重量，但是杂种优势育种对于提高谷物产量更有用。虽然父母双方都需要改善以提高谷物中的锌含量，但利用杂种优势改善高粱中铁的含量仍有很大的空间。