Assessment of Genetic Combinations for Hybrid Rice in the Germplasm of Pakistan

An attractive approach is development of rice hybrids for the increase in crop productivity. A narrow genetic base and limited parental lines are the hindrance in the development of location specific hybrids. In this study 24 genotypes were crossed with 8 specific cytoplasmic sterile lines to check the heterosis for the development of hybrid rice and total 192 cross combinations were studies. Pollen fertility and spikelet fertility were the attributes on which the material was differentiated into restorers, partial restorers, partial maintainers and maintainers. Among the 192 test hybrids pollen parents with CMS lines were 14 behaved as restorers, restoring the fertility and 29 were maintaining the sterility while remaining were categorized as partial restorers and maintainers. The combination with local varieties basmati 515, super basmati, basmati 385, basmati 370 on the basis of restoring and maintainer fertility and sterility could be utilized in the development of hybrid rice in the country.