A study was undertaken to estimate the general and specific combining ability effects of parents and hybrids for grain yield and yield contributing characters in rabi sorghum at Sorghum Research Unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola. The experimental materials comprised of 28 hybrids were produced by crossing four females and seven restorers in L X T fashion. The results of the present investigation revealed that, the line, Akms-71A and restorer AKR-354 was found to be good general combiners for grain yield per plant (g). The female Akms-71A also exhibited significant gca effects in desirable direction for other characters viz., 1000 grains weight, number of grains per panicle, number of primaries per panicle, number of leaves per plant. Among seven males (restorers), AKR-354 exhibited significant gca effects in desirable direction for 1000 grains weight, number of grains per panicle and fodder yield per plant. Hence these parents can be further utilized in hybrid development programme. Among the crosses, the cross Akms-71A x Akrb-502 exhibited significant sca effects for yield and other characters like number of
grains per panicle, number of primaries per panicle and number of leaves per plant. The cross ms-104A x AKR-354 exhibited significant sca effects for grain yield per plant, 1000 grains weight, number of grains per panicle and panicle length (cm). Hence these crosses can be commercially exploited using heterosis breeding after testing its performance on large area. While the cross Akms-71A x AKR-354 exhibited non-significant sca effects for grain yield per plant (g) and other yield contributing characters with high x high significant gca effects of parents for grain yield, indicating the preponderance of additive genetic
variance. Therefore this cross will be useful for development of better segregants or lines.