Assessment of Genetic Variability and Transmissibility Index in Rice Genotypes (Oryza sativa L.)

Aim: To assess the Genetic Variability among the accession/ genotype and its contributing traits.

Methodology: A field experiment was conducted using 35 genotypes including 2 checks of rice during the season of kharif, 2017, at the Field Experimental Centre, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate genetic variation and heritability of yield and related traits. The experiment was designed with a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference among the genotypes for all traits indicating existence of genetic variability among the accessions.

Results: Highest genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were recorded for Spikelet’s per panicle, tillers per hill, panicle per hill and grain filling. High heritability in broad sense was obtained for days to 50% flowering (99.6%), days to maturity (98.7%), test weight (97.9%), harvest index (96.9%) and grain yield per hill (96.6%) which is indicating the high heritable portion of variation. High to medium estimate of heritability in genetic advance were obtained for grain yield (38.51), spikelet’s/ panicle (37.94), panicle/ hill (36.97) were indicating the roles of additive gene action and good scope of selection using their phenotype performance.

Interpretation: Considering, all of these characters, spikelet’s per panicle, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity were important yield related traits and could be used for selection in future rice breeding programme.