Genetic variability and blast resistance studies in rice genotypes under rainfed shallow low land conditions

Abstract

The present study was carried out at Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Ponnampet, University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga during 2015. The experimental material comprised of 58 different varietal lines including existing varieties as checks. Mean performance of individual rice genotypes revealed that the days to 50% flowering found to vary from 97.50 days to 126.50. Plant height was found to vary from 58.00 cm to 105.34 cm with average height of 83.06 cm. The genotype IET-25041 produced maximum grain yield (5068.15 kg/ha) followed by IET-25038 (4674.08 kg/ha), whereas IET-25010 was found to be inferior in grain yield (182.22 kg/ha). Analysis of variance revealed highly significant sum of squares due to genotypes for all the characters indicating existence of ample variability among the genotypes. The traits such as plant height and grain yield which showed high heritability coupled with high genetic advance could be used as selection criteria for their improvement since these are governed by additive gene action. The traits like days to 50% flowering and number of panicles per plant could be used as indirect selection criteria for their simultaneous improvement.