Study of Correlation, Magnitude of Genetic Diversity and Selection Indices in Popular Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Landraces of Bangladesh
The study was attempted with an objective to evaluate the relationship among yield and yield contributing characters, genetic diversity and selection indices of 76 rice genotypes. Number of tillers plant-1, number of effective tillers plant-1 and number of filled grain panicle-1 were positively and significantly correlated with yield plant-1 suggesting that genotypes with high partitioning efficiency gave increase in yield plant-1. Path analysis suggested that number of effective tiller plant -1, number of filled grains panicle-1 and 1000- seed weight were related to the yield plant-1 mostly through their direct effects. The genotypes were grouped into seven clusters based on Euclidean distance following Ward's method and the highest intra-cluster distance was found in cluster VI and inter-cluster distance between the cluster I and VI. Study of selection indices through discriminate functions observed that Bhute shalot possessed the highest selection score index (301.41) and rank as the best followed by Hati bajore, Jamai naru, Bazra muri and Enghi which suggests that the highest scoring genotypes might be recommended for farmer's cultivation for better yield. Among this landraces the superior genotypes may be used in future plant breeding program.