Estimation of combining ability for yield and yield component traits in upland rice (Oryza Sativa L.) of Uttarakhand hills

Abstract

Combining ability for grain yield and its component characters in rainfed upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) were studied during Kharif 2014 using half diallel involving ten parents viz., VL Dhan 221, Vivek Dhan 154, VL 30240, VL 7620, VL 30560, VL 8116, VL 8549, VL 8724, VL 8732 and Sukradhan1. Both general combining ability (gca) and specific combining ability (sca) variances were found to be highly significant for the characters viz., plant height (gca=85.42; sca=23.12), days to 50% flowering (gca=101.61; sca=42.61), days to maturity (gca=90.37; sca=37.73), tillers per plant (gca=4.63; sca=1.38), panicle per plant (gca=2.36; sca=0.90),kernel length (gca=28.88; sca=23.61), kernel width (gca=1.64; sca=1.92),1000 grain weight (gca=3.60; sca=4.91), grain yield per plot (gca=8.57; sca=3.03), fertile grains per panicle (gca=690.67; sca=300.95) and grains per panicle (gca=1050.58; sca=437.75) indicating the importance of additive and non-additive gene actions in the expression of these traits. However, predominance of non-additive gene action was recorded for all the characters. Parents VL Dhan 221, VL 7620, VL 30560, Sukradhan 1 were good general combiners for grain yield and related characters. VL Dhan 221 and Vivek Dhan 154 were good general combiners for plant height and earliness. On the basis of specific combining ability effects, cross combinations Vivek Dhan 154 x VL 8549, VL 7620 x VL 30560, VL 8549 x VL 8732, VL 30560 x VL 8116 and VL 30240 x VL 8116 were the best specific combiner for grain yield per plot and other associated characters viz., plant height, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, kernel length and kernal width.