Genetics of grain quality traits in indigenous aromatic rice (oryza sativa L.)

The nature of gene action was analysed through generation mean analysis for grain quality traits in P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂ generations of five crosses involving indigenous aromatic rice cultivars. The additive and dominance gene effects as well as epistatic interactions were present for most of the grain quality traits indicating their complex inheritance. Focus should be on improving individual characters separately based on the nature of gene action. Kernel length showed a preponderance of additive gene effect and additive x additive gene interaction, hence, pedigree method of selection would be useful in improving it. Kernel breadth could be improved through recurrent selection for few generations followed by pedigree breeding as both additive and dominance gene effect and 1, and 1 type of interactions were important. For kernel length after cooking preponderance of dominance gene effect and epistatic interactions were observed. Biparental mating in F₂ can be followed to improve the trait. Dominance gene effect and additive x additive and dominance x dominance gene interactions were important for alkali spread value and amylose content. Selection has to be postponed to later generation for improving these traits.