Selection of Elite Maintainers with eui Gene using RAPD Analysis for Development of New CMS Lines in Hybrid Rice Breeding

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was employed for genetic diversity study over 32 rice genotypes including 29 agronomically superior maintainer lines with eui gene for good panicle exertion and 3 restorers. A total of 102 amplification products were detected with 12 polymorphic RAPD primers of which 69 (67.64%) were polymorphic. Polymorphic primer showed 50 to 80 amplicon polymorphism. The genetic similarity ranging between 54.2% (L₁₉-L₅) to 92% (L₁₁-L₂) suggested that the maintainers and restorers under study are sdivergent. Cluster generated through UPGMA analysis revealed two main clusters. Cluster I comprised two genotypes only, both derived from the same cross. Genotypes in cluster II were redistributed into a number of subclusters at different similarity coefficient levels indicating different levels of genetic relationships. The maintainer lines L₂, L₂, L₁₇, L₂₀ and L₂₉ used in the study are suggested to be exploited for development of CMS lines to realize higher level of heterosis. The hybrids involving parents with maximum dissimilarity coefficients displayed non-significant estimates of heterosis for grain yield per plant.