Combining ability for yield components and key quality traits in scented rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Combining ability analysis was carried out for yield, its components and grain quality traits in a 10 x 10 diallel cross (excluding reciprocals) under four environments, created by four dates of transplanting viz., E, (early transplanting), E, (normal transplanting), E, (late transplanting) and E, (very late transplanting). The study revealed highly significant mean squares due to both gca and sca for all the characters in all the four environments, indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in the inheritance of yield, its components and grain quality characters. The estimates of gca and sca were highly influenced by the environments, indicating their inconsistency over the environments. Among the parents, IET 16320, IET 13549, Pusa Basmati 1 and IET 13846 emerged as good general combiners for yield components and grain quality traits. Considering the per se performance, sca effects and standard heterosis, five cross combinations viz., IET 16320 x IET 13549, IET 13549 x Pusa Basmati 1, IET 16320 x Pusa Basmati 1, IET 16320 x IET 13846 and Basmati 370 x Pusa Basmati 1 could be exploited for their yield potential and grain quality traits to get transgressive segregants in further breeding programme.