Genetic analysis of yield and quality traits in Basmati rice

Genetic components of variance for yield and yield contributing traits were carried out by using 8 x 8 diallel mating design excluding reciprocals. Results revealed that both additive and non-additive gene effects were important for the inheritance of characters studied with preponderance of later for all traits, except 1000-grain weight, kernel breath, kernel L/B ratio, content of amylose and alkali spreading value. The significance of gene distribution indicated the presence of gene asymmetry except for panicle length. High-narrow sense heritability further supported the importance of additive gene effects for 1000-grain weight, kernel breath, kernel L/B ratio, content of amylose and alkali spreading value. Since non-additive/dominance components were higher than the additive for most of the characters in F1 generation, therefore, biparental mating and/or reciprocal recurrent selection could be used for genetic improvement of these characters.