Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under salt stressed soil.

Abstract

The present investigation was laid out during kharif season of 2014 at Research farm of Genetics and Plant Breeding Department, N.D. University of Agriculture and Technology. It comprised 22 parents (19 lines and 3 testers) along with 57 F1 hybrid grown in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Total 15 quantitative traits viz., days to 50 % flowering, plant height (cm), flag leaf area, (cm2), panicle bearing tillers per plant, panicle length (cm), spikelets per panicle, grains per panicle, spikelet fertility (%), biological yield per plant (g), harvest index (%), L:B ratio, 1000-grains wt. (g) Kernel length (mm), Kernel width (mm)and grain yield per plant (g) were used for evaluation under salt affected soil. Analysis of variance indicated the existence of significant genotypic differences among the parents and their hybrids for the yield, its components for all the characters. High estimates of GCV and PCV values were observed for flag leaf area and panicle bearing tillers per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for flag leaf area, grains per panicle, panicle bearing tillers per plant, spikelet per panicle, and plant height which indicated that these traits were controlled by additive type of gene action. The remaining traits were mostly under the influence of nonadditive gene effects as they recorded low to moderate estimates of genetic advance. It is concluded that, emphasis should be given to select these quantitative traits to enhance the yield potential of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under salt affected soil.