Naphthalene acetic acid holds promise in hybrid rice seed production

Abstract

Hybrid rice technology exploits the phenomenon of hybrid vigour and involves raising the commercial crop from F1 seeds. Adoption and success of hybrid rice technology will depend largely on practical seed production technology, economical grian yield from hybrid rice seed plots and efficient national seed production. Application of GA3 to hybrid rice seed production is one of the important phenomena because it a) enhances percent panicle exertion from the flag leaf, b) increases the duration of floret opening, c) increases the rate of stigma exertion and d) lengthens the duration of stigma receptivity, etc. [1]. One of the major drawbacks of the CMS lines of rice is the incomplete panicle exertion, which reduces the number of spikelets available for out-crossing. GA3 application has proved to be an effective means to overcome this problem. However, GA3 is one of the costly inputs in hybrid seed production. Therefore, it is necessary to identify alternate chemical as a substitute to economize the use of GA3 in hybrid rice seed production.