Abstract
Understanding genetic variability and mode of gene action for agronomic and yield related traits is important in formulation of effective rice breeding program for genetic enhancement of grain yield. Combining ability analysis and heterosis was conducted to identify yield associated traits from nine male indicas and three female japonicas, together with their 27 F1 hybrids. Four parental lines, including Basmati 370, Basmati 217, K2-54 and Komboka showed good general combining ability in days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of tillers plant-1, number of spikelet’s panicle-1, number of panicles plant-1, number of filled grains panicle-1, and grain yield. While the combine K2-9 × Komboka, K2-9 × Basmati 370, K2-54 × Dourado Precoce and K2-54 × Basmati 217 showed specific good for grain yield. The hybrids K2-9 × Basmati 370, K2-8 × Basmati 217, K2-54 × Basmati 217 and K2-9 × Komboka showed 20% excess in standard check variety, suggesting that they could be good breeding donors.
Highlights
Rice is the second most valued crop after maize in the world today (Syed & Khaliq, 2008)
general combining ability (GCA)/specific combining ability (SCA) predictability ratio for duration to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of tillers, number of spikelet’s panicle-1, number of productive tillers, number of filled grains panicle-1 and grain yield ratio was close to one suggesting the influence of additive gene action in the expression of these yield characters
This study revealed that hybrids (K2-54 × Basmati 217, K2-54 × Komboka, and K2-54 × Basmati 370) that originated from high general combiner parents with high and positive SCA estimates are expected to produce desirable transgressive segregants which can be recognized by carrying out pedigree breeding method (Muhammad et al, 2010)
Summary
Rice is the second most valued crop after maize in the world today (Syed & Khaliq, 2008). The world rice requirement by 2050 will be 943.6 million tonnes which requires an annual increase of about 5.8 million tonnes from the present level of production (FAO, 2017) To achieve this target, it is necessary to utilize the existing upland and lowland land resources, and develop upland rice varieties with high yield potential and durable resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses (Dogara & Jumare, 2014). Upland rice varieties are not widely grown in Kenya despite their enormous potential in increasing national production (Kimani, 2010). This stagnation in productivity and associated high prices has led to decline in consumption of locally produced rice and increased imports from Pakistan, China, India and Vietnam (MoA, 2014)
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