Genetic Improvement in Ponni (Mashuri) Rice.

Abstract

Ponni (Mashuri) is a medium duration rice variety largely grown during Sambo and Thalodi seasons in Tamil Nadu extending from August to February. It is known for its fine and good quality rice coupled with adaptability to monsoon conditions followed by cold weather period. But being a tall indica variety it is susceptible for lodging resulting in drastic reductions in yields. Therefore to improve this variety for plant type, high yielding with fine grains resembling that of Ponni and adaptability for monsoon period hybridization was effected with IR 8 in the year 1972. Twenty selections confirming to these objectives were finally evaluated in F 6 for the yield and yield components and grain type. It has been identified that genotypes P. 151, 162, 166, 174 and 191 appear promising from their desirable level of expression of yield components, and higher yields coupled with the duration and grain type of Ponni.