Screening of parents, hybrids and their progenies for yield under salinity in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Eight parents along with 28 hybrids were evaluated under normal as well as saline soil conditions of Agricultural Research Station, Machilipatnam during kharif 2010 to study the effect of salinity on various yield components. The effect of salinity was evident through stunted growth, reduction in tillering, florets panicle−1, spikelet fertility and grain yield plant−1. The study of per cent reduction in performance of yield contributing traits including yield showed that, 1000-grain weight was least affected (5.95%) followed by spikelet fertility per cent (6.27), plant height (9.79%), panicle length (12.76%), panicle weight (17.22%), grain yield (30.25%), number of filled grains panicle−1(31.20%) and number of productive tillers plant−1 (61.33%) in the increasing order of magnitude. Under saline soil environment SR26B and CSRC(S)7-1-4 were adjudged as the best donors for developing saline tolerant varieties coupled with high yield. Among the hybrids, SR26B x CST7-1, Swarna x CSRC(S)7-1-4 were superior under saline condition.