Evaluation of genetic purity of F₁ hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) with polymerase chain reaction-based simple sequence repeat markers

Seed quality and seed cost are the key competing factors in this rapidly globalizing seed markets thereby emphasizing the role of seed testing for seed quality assurance. Conventionally, hybrid seed purity assessment is performed through grow out test (GOT), which is highly land and labour intensive and environmentally influenced. The purity of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) was tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay-based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in F1 hybrids, viz. KRH-2 and DRRH-2 along with their parental lines. Among thirty five SSR markers screened for polymorphism, four pairs of SSR markers, viz. RM 206 and RM 276 for hybrid rice KRH-2 and RM 204 and RM 228 for hybrid rice DRRH-2 were identified to be polymorphic that could distinguish the hybrids from their parental lines. These SSR markers showed both alleles of the parental lines in pure hybrids proving the heterozygosity, that could also effectively identify the off-types and the selfed seeds from its respective F1 hybrid seeds using these SSR primers, this was on par with the results recorded from field GOT tests. Thus, successful in establishing four SSR markers RM 206 and RM 276 and RM 204 and RM 228 unique forthe tworice hybrids KRH-2 and DRRH-2 along with their parental lines, respectively. The high discriminating power and reliable PCR assays based SSR markers is cost effective capable of replacing the conventional GOT. These molecular markers, in addition to benefiting the seed industry to a greater extent, proves to be very important for plant improvement, variety registration system, DUS testing, seed purity testing and Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights (PPV&FR).