Author(s): Awel Beshir*, Sentayehu Alamerew, Wosene Gebreselassie
A field experiment was conducted using 36 rice genotypes in 2017 at two locations of Southwestern Ethiopia to
estimate the extent and pattern of genetic variation and association among yield and yield related traits. The
experiment was laid down in 6 × 6 simple lattice design. The combined analysis of variance over the two locations
revealed that the genotypes showed significant differences for all the traits studied, except for days to heading,
panicle weight, thousand seed weight, lodging incidences, leaf blast and brown spot. Although, genotype × location
interactions was significant for days to maturity, plant height, fertile tillers per plant, unfilled spikelets per panicle,
panicle shattering, biomass and grain yield. Moderate to high broad sense heritability was observed for days to
maturity, panicle length, total tillers per plant, fertile tillers per plant, filled spikelets per panicle, unfilled spikelets per
panicle, biomass yield, harvest index, panicles per square meter and plant height. Among the studied traits total
tillers per plant, fertile tillers per plant, panicles per square meter, biomass yield and harvest index had moderate
values of genetic advances as percent of mean. Grain yield showed positive and significant correlations with days to
maturity, panicle length, fertile tillers per plant, panicles per square meter, and biomass yield and harvest index at
both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Phenotypically, panicles per square meter and genotypically, harvest index
exerted the maximum positive direct effect on grain yield. The study revealed that panicles per square meter and
harvest index can be considered for selection in future rice breeding program and in order to give confirmative
results, further studies in more locations and years, supported with molecular breeding approach should be
conducted.
