Regional Research Centre, I.C.A.R., Kalyanpur, Kanpur
Sixty five inbreds in I1, 58 in I2, and 35 in I3 generation were studied for yield and other characters. These were compared with the open pollinated parent Pusa Moti during 1962–65.
The mean of inbred progenies showed a depression in yield of 19 per cent. in I1, 25 per cent. in I2, and 33 per cent. in I3. Highly significant differences amongst the inbred progenies, as well as the mean of inbred progenies and parental means were recorded.
Studies made on other plant characters, showed varying amounts of depression, in the different lines in respect of fertility and other phenotypic characters. Depression effect was observed in all the plant characters, except in case of days to flower, peduncle thickness and number of leaves. Plant height, grain weight, and straw yield showed a high amount of depression (about 20 per cent.). Ear length, and thickness of stem were moderately (12 per cent.) affected. In other characters the depression was well below ten per cent.
Forty per cent, of families almost reached the maximum inbreeding depression, for grain yield, and 77 per cent. appeared to uniform for major morphological characters in the I3 generation itself.
