Studies of genetics of yield and yield component characters in F2 and F3 generations of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Three parents with three different durations were crossed in full diallel fashion. The resultant six hybrids were selfed along with their three parents to get six F₂’s. The F₂’s were selfed to obtain six F₃’s. The aforementioned five generations of the six crosses were studied for days to flowering, number of productive tillers per plant, number of filled grains per panicle, 100 seed weight, grain L/B ratio, grain yield per plant and harvest index. The distribution pattern of the segregating generations revealed that, the F₃’s of the cross ADT 38 x ADT 37 for hundred seed weight and the F₃’s the cross ADT 38 x ADT 44 for grain yield per plant showed normal symmetrical distribution. The kurtosis value was almost negligible indicating mesocurtic nature of the distribution. The F₃’s of ADT 38 x ADT 44 recorded high mean coupled with higher coefficient of variation, indicating the presence of additive genetic control. The higher mean performance in F₃ may be due to accumulation of favourable genes. All the other crosses and generations showed asymmetric distribution in positive as well as negative direction, for almost all the characters of interest. The mean was comparatively higher but the coefficients of variation were comparatively lower, indicating the preponderance of non-additive genetic control in the expression of the traits of interest. It is better to resort to intermating of segregants followed by recurrent selection for further improvement. The F₃’s unique cross ADT 38 x ADT 44 had taken less number of days to first flowering, higher grain L/B ratio coupled with higher grain yield. A simple selection among the F₃ progenies of the cross ADT 38 x ADT 44 may yield some useful segregants with earliness, desirable grain quality and higher grain yield.

Key words: Rice, segregating generations, F₂, F₃.