Genetic Analysis and Heterosis for Viscosity Parameters in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) through North Carolina III Mating Design

This study was conducted to evaluate the gene effects, heritability, heterosis and identification of appropriate breeding methods for improving rice viscosity parameters, during 2014-2016 at Rice Research Institute of Iran. The progeny obtained from the North Carolina III mating design with their parents were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance for viscosity parameters revealed that the effect of females, male effect and interaction between males and females effect were significant for all parameters with the exception for peak viscosity. Evaluating of genetic parameters indicated that viscosity characters are affected by additive and non-additive effects of gene action. The share of non-additive effects in genetic control of peak viscosity had beyond additive gene action, while, the contribution of additive effects was greater for the breakdown viscosity, final viscosity and setback viscosity. High estimates of broad sense heritability revealed that the expression of viscosity parameters is more influenced by genetic effects. With regard to non-additive gene actions and low narrow sense heritability estimation in peak viscosity, using hybrid based programs would be promising to improve this trait. For other viscosity parameters, narrow sense heritability estimates were high. Therefore, the use of selection based programs to improve these traits is encouraging. Assessing of relative heterosis through mid-parents showed that heterosis ranged from -3.73 to 1.93%, 5.51 to 21.33%, -4.57 to 1.26% and -26.04 to 9.36%, for the peak viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity and setback viscosity, respectively.