Studies on variability, heritability, genetic advance and path analysis in some indigenous Aman rice (Oryza sativa L.)

308 The variability in the breeding material is extremely important in the selection of superior type plant, where selection is based not only on yield but also on its component traits. Such information on segregating population, where selection is actually practiced, will be more meaningful and of immediate practical utility. Moreover, most of the yield component traits are quantitative in nature and the variability present in them is both heritable and nonheritable.Rice being an important crop throughout the world and to increase its production a study of association of yield and its component characters viz. plant height, number of panicle per plant, panicle weight, panicle length, florets number per panicle, fertility %, number of grain per panicle, 1000 grain weight etc. is important and is also essential fundamental task before making any successful breeding programme. The yield component does not act independently. In general, they are interrelated with each other that ultimately bring about the grain yield in rice. Therefore, an analysis of direct and indirect contribution of each component character is necessary to plan any effective breeding programme.