Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and Quality Traits in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice plays a vital role in ensuring global food security, being a staple crop that feeds more than half of the global population. With rising food demand, improving its yield and quality is a prior demand that tends to meet the current changing scenarios and market demands. Unlocking its hidden genetic variability offers immense potential to breed superior varieties. Exploring heritability and genetic advance can accelerate the development of high-performing quality-rich rice cultivars to fulfill the need of future food demands and consumer preferences.

A study aimed to evaluate twenty-eight rice genotypes during Kharif 2023 for genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean for twenty-two yield and quality traits was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

ANOVA showed highly significant differences in the twenty-eight genotypes suggesting that considerable variability exists at the genotype levels. Test weight displayed high genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variability (PCV) followed by effective number of tillers per plant. For quality traits, alkali digestion value displayed the highest GCV and PCV, followed by gel consistency, elongation index and length-breadth ratio before cooking. The existence of considerable genetic variability in the genotypes studied for twenty-two traits was evident. All twenty-two traits exhibited higher heritability levels with varying degree of genetic advance. The traits PH, PL, SFP, TW, KLBC, KBBC, LBBC, ER, HRR, ADV, AC, GC and ADV showed high heritability values along with high genetic advance as per cent of mean. These traits have evidence of additive gene action and can be improved using direct selection methods.