Variability and association studies for yield and yield contributing traits in long grain rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Thirty accessions of long grain rice with grain length > 6.2mm including two checks viz., KNM 118 and IR 64 were evaluated to study variability, correlation and path analysis for yield and yield attributing traits. High range of variation, PCV and GCV were observed for number of effective tillers per plant, panicle weight, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant and high heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for number of effective tillers per plant, plant height, panicle length, panicle weight, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, kernel length, kernel L/B ratio, grain length, grain L/B ratio and grain yield per plant. Among all the entries tested KPS 6363 and KPS 3272 were found promising with higher grain yield per plant. Correlation analysis revealed that plant height, panicle weight, grain breadth exhibited a significant and positive association with grain yield per plant. Path analysis revealed that among quantitative traits number of effective tillers per plant, plant height, panicle weight and number of grains per panicle and quality traits kernel breadth, kernel L/B ratio, grain length and kernel L/B ratio had shown positive direct effect on grain yield per plant followed by kernel breadth, plant height, panicle weight, grain length and number of grains per panicle and these traits can be used as selection indices for development of high yielding rice varieties coupled with quality.