Studies on Variability and Interrelationship of Panicle Components and Their Association with Grain Yield in Traditional Rice

Forty four lowland traditional rice genotypes were evaluated during kharif season of 2009-10 at Zonal Adaptive Research Station, Krishnagar, Nadia, West Bengal for 23 panicle yield and its attributing traits.Significant varietal differences were observed for all the characters.The GCV was less than PCV for all the characters indicating considerable influence of the environment on their expression.High GCV and PCV were observed for number of grains on secondary branches panicle -1 , number of spikelets on secondary branches panicle -1 , 100 grain weight, 100 kernel weight, panicle yield, number of secondary branches panicle -1 and number of spikelets panicle -1 whereas, the remaining characters expressed low to medium GCV.High heritability along with high genetic advance as percentage of mean were exhibited by number of spikelets on secondary branches panicle -1 , number of grains on secondary branches panicle -1 , 100 grain weight, 100 kernel weight and panicle yield indicating their control by additive gene action and chances of further improvement by selection.Among the panicle yield attributing traits, number of primary branches per panicle, number of grains on primary branches panicle -1 , number of spikelets on primary branches panicle -1 , grain length, grain breadth, grain thickness, kernel breadth, kernel thickness, 100 grain weight, 100 kernel weight correlated significantly and positively with panicle yield both at the genotypic and phenotypic levels whereas, high significant and positive genotypic and phenotypic association revealed between number of secondary branches panicle -1 and number of spikelet panicle -1 , number of spikelets on secondary branches panicle -1 and number of grains on secondary branches panicle -1 .