Abstract:
The experiment was conducted in Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics,
University of Agriculture Faisalabad to study the physio-genetic basis of drought
tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). Forty diverse rice genotypes were studied under
field condition for various morphological traits in year 2008. These genotypes were
evaluated for drought tolerance on the basis of physiomorphological traits and some
seed traits of rice grain. From these forty genotypes twenty genotypes selected on
the basis of desirable traits were grown in polythene bags to study the root shoot
traits at seedling stage under normal and water stress condition for the selection of
diverse parents in the year 2009. A total 28 SSR markers were also used to asses
genetic diversity among the twenty genotypes of rice. More genetic diversity was
observed between improved basmati rice varieties and advance breeding lines. All
the 28 SSR markers showed greatest polymorphism among the rice genotypes. But
some SSR markers namely RM-421, RM-254, RM-235, RM-544, RM-257, RM-
224, RM-248 and RM-590 showed highest polymorphism among the rice
genotypes. Eight parents were selected on the basis of phenotypic and genotypic
screening for the development of F1 hybrids by using diallel mating design to see
the gene action among the parents and their F1 hybrids. All the possible
combinations were made between the parents excluding reciprocals. These
experiments were conducted in the green house and various morphological traits
were studied under both normal and stress conditions in the year 2010. Stress was
given at the reproductive stage. Data were analyzed by using Hayman graphical
approach and Griffing approach to study the genetic variance and combining ability
analysis among the parents and their F1 hybrids. Based on the genetic component
analysis, both additive and non-additive components appeared important in the
inheritance of most of the traits. Both additive and dominance type of gene action
were found important in inheritance for different traits under study. Most of the
traits showed constant gene action in both environments but gene action of some
traits was affected by the environment. Morphological traits like Plant height,
productive tillers per plant, primary branches per panicle, days to heading, days to
maturity, 1000 seed weight and seed width showed over dominance type of gene
action in both environments i.e. normal and drought environments. Panicle length
showed over dominance only in normal irrigation conditions while seeds per panicle
and seed length width ratio showed this type of gene action only in drought
conditions. Some morphological traits like spikelets per spike, seed weight and seed
length showed additive type of gene action in both irrigation conditions. Panicle
length showed additive type of gene action in drought conditions only while seeds
per panicle and length width ratio showed additive type of gene action with partial
dominance only in normal irrigation conditions. From Griffing analysis genotypes
CB-17, CB-32 and Basmati-198 were found good general combiners for productive
tillers per plant, primary branches per panicle and yield per plant, specially under
water stress condition. Maximum specific combining ability was found in Basmati-
198 × CB-17 for Productive tillers per plant, Basmati-198 × CB-42 for Primary
branches per panicle and CB-32 × CB-14 for Yield per plant.