Study on Backcross Population with Their Parents for Different Agro-Morphological Traits of Wild and Cultivated Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Species

Abstract

Wild rice is a potential source of many biotic and abiotic stress tolerant genes that could be incorporated to improve cultivated rice. The present rice varieties have narrow genetic base, thus wild rice could serve to extend the genetic base of the cultivated cultivars. To study the inheritance and ancillitary characters of different back cross populations and landraces available among us, we performed line X tester cross followed by backcrossing with recurrent parents. We used both local landraces and cultivated inbreds as parents to fulfill our crossing demand. The crossing of cultivated rice with wild rice and their backcross behavior showed that wild rice consists some desirable traits which can be introgressed to cultivated rice if there is no linkage drag. Some most desirable traits such as flag leaf angle, leaf width, panicle length which are responsible for higher photosynthesis were found higher in backcross progeny which indicates that these genotypes can be utilized further in generation nursery.