SSR-BASED MOLECULAR PROFILING OF ADVANCED RICE BREEDING LINES FOR YIELD, DISEASE RESISTANCE AND GRAIN QUALITY TRAITS

Abstract

Present study was aimed to evaluate advanced rice breeding lines for yield and its associated traits and to screen these lines for bacterial leaf blight (BLB) resistance and quality traits using molecular markers. Thirty-eight advanced breeding lines along with three checks were evaluated in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications having a plot size of 10 m2 and spacing of 20 x 15 cm.  Analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the lines for all the traits recorded. Molecular screening using marker pTA248 targeting the Xa21 gene amplified a 925 bp product, marker xa-13 prom targeting the xa13 gene amplified a 450 bp product, while marker RM122 targeting the xa5 gene locus, amplified a product size of 240 bp. In addition, aroma marker BADEX7-5 was employed to target the badh2 gene which amplified a product size of 95 bp.  Five advanced breeding lines along with one check exhibiting a moderately resistant response based on phenotypic performance revealed the presence of at least two resistance genes thereby, indicating that the observed phenotypic resistance was due to the presence of resistance genes.