Vol. 14, Issue 7 (2025)

Author(s):
Himaja N, Abdul Fiyaz R, Sai Harini A, K Chaitanya, Dileep Kumar, GD Madhuri and Kemparaju KB

Abstract:
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the world's most significant cereal crop, often referred to as the "Grain of Life" because it is a staple food for over 70% of Indians and sustains 120 to 150 million rural households. Two major diseases affecting rice are rice blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, and bacterial leaf blight (BLB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae. To combat the damage from these diseases, chemical control methods are often used. However, the continuous use of chemicals increases production costs and negatively impacts the environment. The most effective, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly way to minimize production losses from these diseases is to cultivate rice varieties with inherent resistance. Given this context, the current study was conducted during the rabi season of 2023 at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research farm in Hyderabad. The objective was to evaluate yield and yield-related traits in rice, assess phenotypic resistance to BLB and blast. The study involved 48 gene/QTL pyramided lines, evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications. ANOVA for yield and yield-related traits revealed significant differences among genotypes for all studied characteristics, indicating sufficient variation for selecting superior genotypes for further breeding. Panicle weight, number of tillers per plant, number of productive tillers per plant, and number of filled grains per panicle positively correlated with grain yield per panicle. This suggests that genotypes with heavier panicles, more productive tillers, and a higher count of filled grains per panicle tend to yield more, indicating that these traits should be considered in the selection process.