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Breeding procedures used in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] improvement in India and the USA are aimed at exploitation of hybrid vigor for both grain and forage yields. Selection efforts in Africa have been limited to intrapopulation improvement for grain yield. Knowledge of heterotic patterns and combining ability of the widely cultivated African landraces would be useful in the development of a sound breeding program in Africa. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the combining ability and heterosis among African pearl millet populations and to explore the utility of inter‐population improvement for the development of high yielding varieties and hybrids. Five populations and their 10 interpopulation crosses were evaluated in a randomized complete‐block design with six replications at two locations in Niger during the 1989 and 1990 rainy seasons. Plant height, flowering time, natural incidence …