Genetic Variability Assessment in the F2 Population of Rice Cross Uma × Nagina-22

Abstract

Genetic variability and its inherited components are crucial for identifying suitable breeding material and developing superior varieties. The present study was carried out at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in the F2 population of the Uma × Nagina 22 cross in rice. The frequency distribution analysis revealed positive skewness with leptokurtic distribution for number of tillers, productive tillers, days to flowering, days to maturity, total chlorophyll content and seed length/breadth ratio. While panicle length, total grains per panicle, hundred seed weight, and proline content displayed negative skewness with platykurtic distribution. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all characters under study. High GCV and PCV were observed for the number of tillers, total number of grains per panicle, yield per plant, total chlorophyll content, proline content, protein content, and seed length/breadth ratio. The traits viz. plant height, days to flowering, panicle length, days to maturity, total number of grains per panicle, 100 seed weight, yield per plant, total chlorophyll content, proline content, protein content and seed length/breadth ratio exhibited high heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean (GAM). The presence of wide genetic variability, high heritability, and significant genetic advancement for many characters indicates an enormous potential for both direct and indirect selection to improve these traits in rice.