Abstract

                                The aims of this study were to determine the response to selection for high grain yield and yield related components, to estimate the heritability of these traits, to compute the correlation of grain yield with yield components and to estimate the genetic potential transferred from one generation to other by using different segregating generations of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Various segregating populations (F2, F3 and F4) of the cross, TS 29 / CO(R) 49 were evaluated for yield and its related traits. The results indicated that correlation studies in F3 generation had positive association of single plant yield with fertility percentage, number of productive tillers per plant, panicle length, panicle exertion percentage, stigma exertion percentage and spikelet fertility percentage. Study on parent-progeny regression revealed positive significant regression and correlation coefficient estimates observed in F3-F4 generation for days to 50 per cent flowering, number of productive tillers per plant, panicle length, panicle exertion percentage and stigma exertion percentage which indicated that F3 are good indicators of F4 performance for all these traits. Narrow sense heritability increased with advancement of generation from F2 to F4 indicating the additivity of gene effects for number of productive tillers per plant, panicle length and panicle exertion percentage. It indicated the chances of selecting high yielding genotypes at early generations based on these characters are valuable.

Key words : TGMS rice, correlation, parent-progeny regression analysis, heritability, selection.