Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and It’s Components Traits in Maintainer Lines of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Aim: To study the variability, heritability and genetic advance for yield and its components traits for selecting better yield attributes for improvement of maintainer lines. Study Design: Randomized block design. Place and Duration of Study: Institute of Rice Research, ARI, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, during the kharif season in 2024. Methodology: The study involved 28 maintainer lines and two checks. Sown in nursery and transplanted with spacing of 30 cm x15 cm after 25 days. Observations were recorded on agro- morphological characters. Statistical analysis was conducted using INDOSTAT software for the analysis of variance for variability, heritability and genetic advance. Results: Analysis of variance reveled that there was a significant variation (p < 0.01) among genotypes for all traits. Number of grains per panicle (35.23%, 33.21%), 1000- grain weight (24.60%, 24.17%), grain yield per plant (27.41%, 26.44%) had shown highest PCV% and GCV % than the other traits under study. The results of heritability ranged from 32% in panicle length to 97% in days to 50% flowering. Higher heritability (> 80 %) was shown by all traits except panicle length. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent mean (> 20 %) was shown by number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, stigma length, kernel length, kernel breadth, kernel L/B ratio than the other traits under study which is useful in the selection process. Conclusion: The traits such as number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, stigma length, kernel length, kernel breadth, kernel L/B ratio showed high heritability (> 80 %) with high genetic advance (> 20%) indicating that selection for these traits are effective for selection of better maintainer lines.