Generation Mean Analysis for Yield and Drought Tolerant Traits under Rainfed and Irrigated Conditions in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Ramasamy Gobu *

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221005, India and Division of Crop Improvement and Biotechnology, ICAR – Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala – 673012, India.

Jai Prakash Lal

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221005, India.

Annamalai Anandan

Division of Crop Improvement, National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, Odisha 753006, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Generation mean analysis was carried out using two crosses, involving a high yielding drought susceptible variety NDR 359 and drought tolerant rainfed cultivars Nagina 22 and Vandana. Six generations namely P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1 and BC2 were grown under both rainfed and irrigated environment to study the gene action for various yield and drought tolerance traits. Scaling test revealed the presence of epistasis for most of the yield and drought tolerance traits in both the crosses. Hence, six parameter model was adopted for these traits and for few traits where epistasis was absent, three parameter model was used. The results revealed that dominance gene effect along with non-allelic interactions had profound effect on the genetic control of majority of the yield traits. Therefore, early generation selection will be misleading for these traits. However, the drought tolerance related traits like proline content and stomatal conductance were governed by additive component as well. Duplicate epistasis was observed for majority of the traits. Hence, present study indicates that, epistasis has a key role in the expression of almost all the traits in both the environment.

Keywords: Generation mean analysis, gene action, rice, epistasis, drought tolerance


How to Cite

Gobu, Ramasamy, Jai Prakash Lal, and Annamalai Anandan. 2021. “Generation Mean Analysis for Yield and Drought Tolerant Traits under Rainfed and Irrigated Conditions in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.)”. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 11 (11):170-78. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2021/v11i1130530.