Use of thermal indices as selection criteria in breeding programme of rice (Oryza sative L.)

Abstract

A set of 58 rice cultivars from Assam were studied to investigate the thermal indices and yield components as the selection criteria. Significant genetic variation was observed for the three thermal indices studied. Estimation of variability parameters indicated high heritability coupled with high genetic advance for the three thermal indices, viz., Growing Degree Days (GDD), Helio-Thermal Units (HTU) and Heat Use Efficiency (HUE) along with grain yield and other yield components. Grain yield was observed to be contributed positively and significantly by the three thermal indices in specific growth intervals apart from other yield components.