English

Abstract

In the present investigation, seventy five speciality rices called soft rice genotypes collected from different parts of North-East India (especially Assam) were evaluated to study the genetic diversity present in the experimental material for selection of the diverse parents, to estimate the genetic parameters among the genotypes for yield and component traits. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications at Directorate of Rice Research Farm, ICRISAT Campus, Patancheru, Hyderabad, India. Based on the relative magnitude of D2 values, the genotypes were grouped into seven clusters. Cluster I was the largest comprising of 62 genotypes followed by cluster II with eight genotypes, cluster III, IV, V, VI and VII with one genotype each. Based on the inter-cluster distances, crossing between the genotypes of cluster IV and cluster VII, cluster III and cluster VII, cluster I with cluster VII and cluster III and cluster VI is suggested to generate diversified breeding material. The data on character means for seven clusters indicated that, the cluster III is having highest mean value for per cent filled grains per panicle, cluster V for seed yield per plant and cluster I for test weight (1000-grain weight) and cluster II for number of productive tillers per plant and cluster IV for panicle length. The characters per cent filled grains per panicle, plant height, seed yield per plant contributed maximum to the genetic divergence. Hence these characters could be given due importance for selection of genotypes for further crop improvement programme.