IDENTIFICATION OF NITROGEN USE EFFICIENT LOCAL RICE GENOTYPES UNDER LOW SOIL NITROGEN CONDITIONS

V.M. NAVEEN KUMAR¹*, M.S. UMA², H.C. LOHITHASWA³, SHAILAJA HITTALMANI^4
1Rice Breeding Division, ZARS, V C Farm, Mandya, 571405, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
²Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Mandya, 571405, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
³Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Mandya, 571405, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
⁴Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Mandya, 571405, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, 560065, India
* Corresponding Author : naveen9063@gmail.com

Received : 02-12-2016     Accepted : 13-12-2016     Published : 18-12-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 61       Pages : 3450 - 3455
Int J Agr Sci 8.61 (2016):3450-3455

Keywords : Local rice genotypes, Nitrogen use efficiency, Heritability, Genetic advance and SSR markers
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : This study was funded by Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Mandya, UAS, Bangalore, I express my whole hearted thanks to Dr. M. S. Uma and Dr. H.C. Lohithaswa for providing good advice to completion of experiment and grateful to thank to Dr. Shailaja Hittalmani for providing local rice genotypes for this study with best guideline to carry out
Author Contribution : None declared

Rice is an important staple food crop in most of Asian countries and feeding more than half world population. India is having rich source of rice germplasm and the local rice genotypes are reservoirs of valuable traits. Unscientific nitrogen application at different crop growth stages mainly influences grain yield and environmental quality. The increase nitrogen application directly and indirectly affects emission of methane gas, finally leads to global warming. Hence, an attempt was made to identify high nitrogen use efficient genotypes by studying genetic variability parameters for nitrogen use efficiency and yield component traits in a set of 55 local rice genotypes under low soil nitrogen conditions. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant genotypic differences for all the traits studied. High Genotypic coefficient of variability (GCV) and Phenotypic coefficient of variability (PCV) values with less difference observed for nitrogen use efficiency, yield related traits indicating less influence of environment factors on their expression. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was recorded for plant height, number of productive tillers, panicle length, number of spikelets per panicle, grain yield per plant and nitrogen use efficiency at low nitrogen conditions. This indicated that these traits were predominantly controlled by additive gene action and more amenable for selection. Significant positive correlation was observed for nitrogen use efficiency with grain and straw yield in low nitrogen conditions. The SSR marker RM20 was found to be associated with nitrogen use efficiency in local rice genotypes studied. The genotypes Parimalakalavi, Mosaleputtabatta, Mundoni, Bilihasudiand Bolumallige were found to be high nitrogen use efficient