Abstract
The study was conducted in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 rainy seasons at Nanzolo, Domasi and Mkondezi in three replications using the RCBD following the Mother-Baby Trial Approach. The objective of the study was to evaluate grain yield of twelve high-yielding rice (Oryza sativa) varieties that were selected and shared from elite Doubled Haploid germplasms of a Collaborative Project of KAFACI (RDA) and AGRA at Suwon in Korea and Africa Rice Centre, Senegal. An improved variety called Mtupatupa was used as a common check. Data collection was done on several traits including plant height at maturity, number of effective tillers and DUS as well as VCU. The two lines SR35285-HB3469-6 and Sahel 328 met farmers’ preferences during participatory variety selection because of earliness to maturity, high grain yield, medium to slender grain shape and long to extra-long, moderate aroma and absence of the white belly on the endosperm. The Genotype × Environment interaction summarized by the biplot of the two principal component axes explains 96.56% of the Genetics and Genotype × Environmental (GGE) variation. The hierarchical clustering pattern showed two main clusters in the dendrogram description. Genotypes SR35285-HB3469-6 and Sahel 328 had been therefore released as Wachangu and Makafaci, respectively, for lowland cultivation in Malawi. Key words: Doubled Haploid, principal component analysis, DUS and VCU, GGE biplot, grain quality, grain yield, lowland, PVS.
Highlights
Rice is the second most important cereal crop in Malawi, after maize
During the 2017/2018 rainy season, the Mother trial at Domasi had the check variety, Mtupatupa attaining the average height of 98 cm and was significantly different from all other studied Korea Africa for Food and Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI) rice varieties
In 2019 rainy season, the check variety had an average of 101 cm and was significantly different (p
Summary
Rice is the second most important cereal crop in Malawi, after maize. The traditional rice cultivars in the rainfed ecosystem have many valuable genes possessing resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses, unique grain quality and plant architecture Among these local strains, selections had been done and resulted in pure lines namely Faya 14 M 69 and Kilombero. Selections had been done and resulted in pure lines namely Faya 14 M 69 and Kilombero Farmers prefer these landraces because they are aromatic, have large grains and are non-glutinous (Abade et al, 2016). Rice productivity in Malawi is very low, with mean yields of only
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