Estimation of Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance of Exotic Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Breeding Lines for Short Growth Development

This work aims to study the genetic parameters for yield and yield contributing characters in thirty-two early maturing rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines. The morphological data were analysed by different statistical plant breeding software’s that were reliable and faster in analysis. The line CT 18173-1-9-1-3-6-M had the tallest; IR 82489-594-3-2-2 had the earlier flowering line but BP 10620F-BB4-13-BB8 the early maturing one. The highest effective tillers hill-1 and yield plant-1 was found in BP 10620F-BB4-13-BB8. Number of filled grains panicle-1 and number of unfilled grains panicle-1 exhibited high Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) and Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV). Small differences between GCV and PCV were recorded for all the characters studied which indicated less environmental influence. The characters viz., 1000 seed weight and days to maturity exhibited high heritability and number of filled grains panicle-1 measured high genetic advance. The thirty-two lines were assigned into three clusters, which contained a different number of lines. Among the lines, BP 10620F-BB4-12-BB8 possessed the highest selection score index contrary to IR 79201-49-1-1-1 which had the lowest selection index score. The overall evaluation for the lines revealed that the best line was BP 10620F-BB4-12-BB8 and it can be used for future breeding program or farmer’s field cultivation.