ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC VARIABILITY FOR YIELD AND ITS COMPONENT CHARACTERS IN RICE (Oryza sativa L.)

The research was carried out at the PSTU's Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Dumki, Patuakhali, from April to August 2013 to investigate genetic advancement and the interrelationship of fourteen important characters, including grain yield. For all characteristics, there was significant variation among the 15 rice genotypes studied. Different genotypes were found to be superior for various characteristics. For plant height BRRI dhan 43, for 50% flowering BRRI dhan 42 and BRRI dhan 43, for days to maturity BRRI dhan 42 and BRRI dhan 43, for number of unfilled grain panicle^-1 BRRI dhan 48, for flag leaf length Lakhi Lata, for flag leaf width Lohar Gura, for panicle plant^-1 BRRI dhan 27, for number of filled grain panicle^-1 Kalo Jamvi, number of filled grain panicle^-1 Lakhi Lata, for 1000-grain weight BRRI dhan 48, for yield plant^-1 BRRI dhan 48 were found to be the superior genotypes. Selection based on maturity period, number of panicles plant^-1, panicle length, and higher number of filled grains panicle^-1 may thus be effective for increasing rice yield.