SELECTION OF HIGH YIELD POTENTIAL AND HIGH AROMA CONTENT FINE RICE CULTIVARS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

A total of twenty fine grain rice cultivars including fifteen land races, three developed (Paijam, BR-49 and BR34) and two exotic (Philippine katari and Ranjit) varieties were collected from different parts of Bangladesh to identify the yield enhancing characters and to select desirable cultivars with high yield potential and high aroma emission from rice grain. The experiments were conducted in Aman season in 2013, in the Plant Breeding Research Field, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur. Genetic variation for yield (t/ha) and other fourteen yield related characters like, plant height (cm), panicle length (cm), panicle weight (gm), total tillers/plant, effective tillers/plant, rachilla/ panicle, sterile grain/panicle, total grain/panicle, 1000-grain weight (g), grain length (mm), grain breadth (mm), aroma content (%), days to 50% flowering and days to maturity, was estimated. All the characters showed high heritability value except total tillers/plant, indicated better progress under selection. High heritability (96.278%) was revealed by days to maturity, suggested that the character would be less affected by the environment. Among all the cultivars the cultivar, Ranjit produced the highest yield (4.940t/ha). In addition, aroma emission from grain was assessed. The highest aroma contents in Kalozira (35%) and Kalosoru (30%) was estimated. The highest yield (4.940t/ha) was obtained from Ranjit and it was statistcally similar with the yields of Bolder (4.277t/ha), Malsira (4.157t/ha), Kalozira (4.133 thha) and BR-49 (4.017 t/ha). The simultaneous consideration of yield potential and aroma emission from rice grain, four cultivars viz. Kalozira, Radhunipagol, Badshabogh and Chinigura may be advanced for commercial cultivation by the farmers and agriculture entrepreneurs and may be incorporated in further breeding for the development of high yielding fine rice varieties but the highest amount of aroma emission (35%) and yield (4.133t/ha) indicated that Kalozira was the best aromatic rice cultivar.