Genetic analysis of grain quality traits in five Iranian rice varieties

Incorporation of superior grain and cooking quality characteristics in the development of high yielding varieties has now become an essential component in rice breeding programs across the globe. However، there is still lack of basic genetic understanding pertaining to rice cooking quality traits of ‘Sadri rices’ of Iran. Therefore، a study was conducted at RRII، Rasht، Iran to estimate the combining ability، gene and cytoplasmic effects for three determining cooking quality traits i. e. amylose (AC)، gel consistency (GC)، gelatinization temperature (GT) by complete diallel analysis utilizing 2 traditional landraces and 3 improved varieties. The results clearly showed cytoplasmic effects governing all the three traits. Narrow sense heritability for AC، GT and GC were 90. 7، 75. 0، and 56. 0 respectively. Increasing amylase and decreasing gel consistency and gelatinization temperature genes were dominance in three traits were below. Therefore additive effects were higher than non- additive effects and also indicated by their narrow sense heritability. Selection for development of these traits will be successful، because environment and dominant effect are very low. The best hybrids for segregating population to quality varieties were Alikazemi× Hashemi and Alikazemi × Nemat. Khazar variety will decrease GT in generations. Alikazemi variety will increase GC in generation of it by other variety. However in breeding programs must be taken care for selection of female parent in cross for such cooking quality grain.