Genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis studies in rice (Oryza sativa L.) under alkaline soil condition

Rice occupies a pivotal place in the Indian agriculture and has been grown under diverse ecological conditions and gets exposed to different environmental stresses like salinity, alkalinity, drought, cold etc. The experiment was conducted to study the response of rice genotypes and their quantitative traits under alkaline soil condition to examine the nature and magnitude of variability, heritability and genetic advance. Variability studies revealed significant differences among the genotypes for the traits studied. High values of heritability and genetic advance were observed for total spikelet per panicle, thousand grain weight and total biomass. Number of productive tillers, total spikelet per panicle, total biomass, days to 50 per cent flowering and plant height were the traits which exhibited significant positive association with grain yield. Path analysis revealed that their direct effects on grain yield through total biomass and harvest index were also very high. Thus these traits which contribute to the grain yield under alkaline soil condition could be exploited for further breeding programme.