Received: 15th March 2020; Accepted: 15th May 2020

Abstract

Thirty-two hybrids along with their parents (B and R lines) and standard checks viz., RNR 15048 and PA 6444 were evaluated for grain yield and related traits to study combining ability and heterosis in rice. The mean performance of the hybrids for most of the characters was higher than that of parents except for milling percent. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among parents, lines and hybrids for most of the characters studied. Degree of dominance was more than unity for all the traits except for plant height (0.53), panicle length (0.83), panicle weight (0.94),1000 grain weight (0.83), number of grains per panicle (0.73) and spikelet fertility (0.79). SCA variances were higher than GCA variances for most of the characters, which indicated the predominance of non-additive gene action. The gca effects revealed that among the lines JMS 14B had significant gca effects in desired direction for several traits including yield. Among the testers, RNR 26059and RNR 26072 were found to be good general combiner for the traits viz., days to 50 percent flowering, panicle length, head rice recovery, per day productivity and grain yield per plant. Among thirty two hybrids, JMS 14A × RNR 26083, CMS 64A × PAU 2K10-23-451-2-37-34-0-3,CMS 23A × RNR26072, JMS 14A × RNR 26084,CMS 64A × RNR 26059 and JMS 20A × RP 5898-54-21-9-4-2-2 were found good specific combiners based on grain yield per plant. Six hybrids recorded positive significant standard heterosis over variety (RNR 15048), whereas two hybrids recorded positive significant heterosis over hybrid check (PA 6444). Overall data revealed that JMS 14A × RNR 26083 and CMS 64A × RNR26059 were identified as potential hybrids with respect to all characters based on their sca and heterosis estimates.