Abstract

High yielding photosensitive varieties with a lower level of management suitable for the second crop season are a dire need for Kerala, where the rabi crop (second crop) occupies a substantial segment of the total cropped area. To develop high yielding photosensitive rice varieties suited for the second crop season, a breeding programme was initiated at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi to combine the photosensitivity and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses of traditional rice varieties with high yield. Hybridisation was carried out between photosensitive varieties popular in the state and high yielding rice varieties and the segregating progenies were subjected to screening during subsequent generations. A promising culture with good grain and straw yield, wide acceptability, tolerance to major pests and diseases prevalent during the season and food grain quality was evolved.

Keywords: Photosensitive varieties, Combination breeding.