11. TRAITS ASSOCIATION AND PATH CO-EFFICIENT STUDIES IN RICE (ORYZA SATIVA L.) UNDER SODICITY by SURESHKUMAR. M1, S.K.GANESH2, M.SAKILA3, D.DINAKARAN4 AND T.SENGUTTUVAN5

Abstract

Rice is the most important staple food for 40 per cent of the world population and is grown under a wide range of agro climatic conditions. Salinity and sodicity are one of the major constraints that causes serious hazards in agriculture thereby limiting agricultural productivity. Keeping it in view the practical difficulties on reclamation of soil with gypsum, it is suggested to cultivate sodicity tolerant rice varieties. Development of rice varieties for salt affected areas is emphasized on the improvement of rice yield potential in specific environment. However, grain yield mostly depends on net result of yield contributing traits. The information related to the relationship between yield and its components in the breeding program particularly for sodicity is very limited. Hence, the present investigation was carried out to study the correlation and path analysis in six parents and their 30 F1 hybrids of rice (Oryza sativa L.) resulted from full diallel mating design under sodic environment. Investigation on correlation and path coefficient analyses revealed that there would be much scope for selecting promising high yielding, short statured with varying maturity groups in rice with inherent potential of sodicity tolerance, if selection pressure could be exerted on days to 50 percent flowering, plant height, spikelet fertility percentage, proline content, Na+: K+ ratio and root shoot ratio by devising suitable breeding method(s).
KEY WORDS: Rice, Salt Tolerance, Correlation, Direct and Indirect effects.