Estimation of genetics and heterosis for yield components in indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

Abstract

An experiment comprising 39 rice entries (28 F1S hybrids and 11 parents including check) was conducted to examine the extent of genetic parameters (such as variability, heritability, genetic advance, degree of dominance, etc.) and various heterosis in order to identify the promising hybrids for yield and yield attributes. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among treatments for all the traits. Heritability (ns) estimates and expected genetic advance (GA) in response to selection for next generation were high for all desirable traits. It indicated the influence of additive gene action. Assessment of heterobeltiosis (over better parent) and standard heterosis based on check (NDR 97) showed significant heterosis for yield traits in all hybrids. Heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis varied from -40.50 to 14.59% and 10.62 to 86.20% for grain yield per plant, -15.22 to 24.75 and 8.38 to 35.59% for 1000-grain weight, -33.89 to 42.17 and -21.71 to 59.12% for number of effective tillers per plant, and -22.17 to 11.45 and 12.43 to 52.15% for days to maturity, respectively. The most desirable cross combination Anjali x MTU 7029 for grain yield per plant showed desirable heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for 1000- grain weight, days to maturity, number of effective tillers per plant and panicle length.