Vol. 10, Special Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
Ruchika Chhaya, Nilanjaya, Lalit Pal, Sorabh Sethi, Pooja Kumari, Nitesh Kushwaha, RG Zala and Abhishek Jaiswal

Abstract:
Twenty two rice varieties were planted in RBD with 3 replications during 2018-19 at Rice Research farm, RPCAU, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar to study the genetic divergence for yield and its components. Based on Tocher’s clustering, all the 22 varieties were grouped into five clusters. Dular grouped in cluster III exhibited earliness in days to fifty 50% flowering, days to maturity, minimum panicle length of main axis, minimum panicle number per plant, lesser 1000 grain weight, shortest grain length, minimum root volume and minimum grain yield based on cluster mean and per se performance. The variety Rajendra Saraswati in cluster V exhibited superiority for panicle length of main axis, width of leaf blade, grain length, decorticated grain length, root volume and grain yield per plant with highest cluster mean and superior per se performance. The variety Dhanlaxmi in Cluster II was found superior for panicle number per plant with highest cluster mean and superior per se performance. The variety namely Dinesh in cluster IV for higher 1000 grain weight and grain width based on cluster mean and superior per se performance. The variety Rajendra Mahsuri was selected from cluster I for dwarfness based on cluster mean and superior per se performance. The variety in cluster II and cluster V, due to maximum inter cluster distance between them, exhibited high degree of genetic diversity and thus may be utilized under inter varietal hybridization programme (transgressive breeding) for getting high yielding recombinants. Similar inter varietal crosses may be attempted between varieties in cluster II and IV, cluster III and V, cluster III and IV and cluster I and V for yield. The maximum contribution in the manifestation of genetic divergence was exhibited by length of leaf blade followed by decorticated grain width, grain yield per plant, decorticated grain length, days to 50% flowering, 1000 grain weight, stem thickness, days to maturity, panicle length of main axis and grain length suggesting scope for improvement in these characters. In other words, selection for these characters may be rewarding.