Studies on Relative Heterosis and Heterobeltiosis for Four Quantitative Characters-Number of Spikelets Per Panicle, Panicle Length, Panicle Number Per Plant and 1000 Grain Weight in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Ten diverse genotypes of rice (Oryza sativa L.) were crossed in a diallel fashion to study heterosis for 12 quantitative characters. In which out of 45 crosses 10 crosses positively significant over better parent and 32 crosses positively significant over mid parent for number of spikelets per panicle. The estimates of heterosis for panicle length over better and mid parent was found significant in all the 45 cross combinations, in which 16 hybrids showed positive heterosis over better parent and 43 hybrids exhibited positive heterosis over mid parent. Out of 45 crosses 30 crosses were found significant in positive direction over better parent and 37 crosses exhibited positive heterosis over mid parent for panicle number per plant. All the 45 cross combinations were found significant for 1000 grain weight over both parent in which 43 cross combinations showed positive heterosis over both the parents. The estimate of relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis provide information about the type of gene action involved in expression of various quantitative characters.