Genetic variability andparameters for direct selection of scented rice (Oryza sativa) in different environments

Forty diverse genotypes of scented rice (Oryza sativa L.) were evaluated during kharif season of 2008 for assessing variability, heritability and expected genetic advance for thirteen characters in three environments, viz. normal condition (E₁), saline condition (E₂) and alkaline condition (E₃). The wide range of variation recorded for different characters indicated existence of very high degree of variability for all the traits under study. The high PCV and GCV values were observed for grains panicle⁻¹, spikelets panicle⁻¹, panicle bearing tillers plant⁻¹, 1000-grain weight, grain yield plant⁻¹, kernel length and length/breadth ratio, while moderate estimates were observed for remaining traits in all environments. High estimates of heritability in broad sense were found for all the characters in all the environments. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance were observed for days to 50% flowering, plant height, spikelets panicle⁻¹ and grains panicle⁻¹, indicating the preponderance of additive gene action, while rest of the traits exhibited moderate to low genetic advance with high heritability, indicating preponderance of nonadditive gene action.