Doubled haploid breeding- a potential strategy for development of high yielding drought tolerant genotypes in Upland rice

Doubled haploid breeding using anther culture is potentially acclaimed for early fixation of homozygosity. We recovered 129 androgenic doubled haploid lines (DHLs) from a cross Khandagiri (drought sensitive) x Dular (drought tolerant). Fifty five DHLs with high seedling vigour showed wide variability for traits associated with drought tolerance and seed yield under drought stress. DHL 1, DHL 4, DHL 8, DHL 24, DHL 30, DHL 41, DHL 43, DHL 48 and DHL 53 showed higher degree of drought tolerance and also revealed the drought tolerant allele (126 bp) amplified by SSR marker RM 8085. DHL41, DHL 53, DHL43, DHL4 and DHL24 had high yield potential than Sahbhagidhan. However, DHL 41 being a short duration (90 days) and semi-dwarf (101.9 cm) with significantly higher number of grains/panicle, very high 1000-grain weight (28.9 g), fertility percentage (94.2%) and seed yield (46.6 q/ha); can be fitted to upland condition. Besides, the DHLs can serve as an ideal mapping population for mapping and detection of QTLs/genes of interest in upland rice.