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COMBINING ABILITY ANALYSIS OF SOME MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS IN BASMATI RICE

MUHAMMAD YUSSOUF SALEEM^1*, JAVED IQBAL MIRZA² AND MUHAMMAD AHSANUL HAQ¹

Abstract: Combining ability analysis was conducted on 12 parental genotypes and their 27 F₁ hybrids to identify superior genotypes based on morpho-physiological traits in Basmati rice following line × tester mating design. Highly significant genetic variability was present among treatments, parents, parents vs. crosses, crosses, testers and line × tester interaction for flag leaf area, panicle density, harvest index, biological yield per plant and yield per plant. However, lines were significant for all the traits except flag leaf area and yield per plant. Preponderance of non-additive gene effects was realized by higher value of specific combining ability comparing to general combining ability, ratio of variance of general combining ability to variance of specific combining ability and degree of dominance. Four parental genotypes for grain yield per plant, 5 for flag leaf area, 4 for plant height, 5 for panicle density, 4 for harvest index and 3 for biological yield per plant were found good general combiners based on significant high mean performance and GCA effects. Seven hybrids for yield per plant, 4 for flag leaf area, 7 for plant height, 7 for panicle density, 4 for harvest index and 3 for biological yield per plant excelled other hybrids in attaining high mean performance and SCA effects, hence these are recommended for heterosis breeding to improve yield and yield related traits. Based on SCA effects of the hybrids in relation to GCA effects of their parents, Kashmir Basmati × Basmati-385 is recommended for recombination breeding with early selection of desired plants whereas DM-107-4 × Basmati-385 and Super Basmati × Basmati-385 are proposed for recombination breeding with the condition of delayed selection of superior genotypes to develop potential varieties.

¹Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), P. O. Box 128, Faisalabad, Pakistan

²Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author: mysaleem_niab@yahoo.com