Marker assisted backcross breeding (MABB) is aimed at
introgression of trait(s) into a popular variety to augment
specific trait(s) in an otherwise popular variety. While MABB
can improve a variety with respect to introgressed trait(s),
it offers very little scope for improvement of other traits.
Marker assisted restricted backcross breeding (MARBB) is
an alternative which can help in identifying transgressive
segregants especially, when the donor parent is an elite
genotype with several desirable traits. In the present study,
restricted backcrossing followed by pedigree selection was
used for the development of improved genotypes of
Basmati rice with BB and blast diseases using an early
maturing Basmati rice variety, Pusa Basmati 1509 as
recurrent parent and an elite restorer line, Pusa 1790 as
donor. Foreground selection for xa13, Xa21, Pi2 and Pi54 in
the backcross progenies was combined with phenotypic
selection for agronomic and grain quality traits to ensure
premium Basmati grain quality in the progenies. Multilocation yield trial was conducted to evaluate the
performance of the improved Basmati rice genotypes with
both BB and blast resistance. Pusa 1847-12-62-115-20-6
and Pusa 1847-12-62-190-39-7 recorded significantly higher
yields of 68.88 and 62.44 q/ha, respectively, compared to
PB 1509 (57.88 q/ha). The improved progenies exhibited
resistance to BB with an average lesion length of 2 cm, and
blast with scores between 0-2, while PB 1509 was highly
susceptible. Another genotype, Pusa 1847-12-62-37-8-3
exhibited head rice recovery (HRR) of 63.99 %, which was
significantly higher than in PB 1509 (56.40 %). Marker
assisted selection was also effected for fertility restoration
genes and improved grain quality traits based on which
two improved Basmati rice genotypes pyramided with BB
and blast resistance namely, Pusa 1847-12-62-115-20-6 and
Pusa 1847-12-62-190-39-7 were found promising, along with
improved grain and cooking quality as well as restoration
potential, which could be used in breeding better quality
hybrids.
Keywords: Basmati rice, BB, blast, marker assisted restricted backcrossing breeding, grain and cooking quality
Year: 2018
Volume: 78
Issue: 1
Article DOI: 10.5958/0975-6906.2018.00005.6
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
Vidya Sagar info_circle
S. Gopala Krishnan info_circle
Priyanka Dwivedi info_circle
K. K. Mondal info_circle
G. Prakash info_circle
M. Nagarajan info_circle
A. K. Singh info_circle