Yield Improvement of Tulaipanji Rice through Recombination Breeding and Selection

Abstract

Tulaipanji is a famous aromatic rice from West Bengal (GI tagged), cultivated only in the district of Uttar Dinajpur. Recombination breeding was attempted and crosses were made between Tulaipanji and three high yielding cultivars of rice namely, Ranjit, IR64 and Pusa Basmati 1460 to combine high yield with superior grain quality. One of the breeding lines of the cross (Tulaipanji × Ranjit), showed unique new trait which was red pericarp. Two most promising lines were selected from the cross (Tulaipanji × IR64) with enhanced yield and aroma. Grain length was 9.75-9.85 mm, width was 2.39-2.41 mm, 1000 seeds weight was 27.86-28.38 g, just with 27.09, 34.63 and 87.69 % improvement over Tulaipanji. Grain number per panicle was 186 in F5 lines but only 94 in Tulaipanji. Maturity time has been reduced to 135 days instead of 145-150 days in Tulaipanji. One F2 progeny line of a triparental cross (Tulaipanji × IR64 × PB1460) had enhanced yield potentiality and quality. Grain quality was judged using physicochemical parameters (ASV, sensory based aroma and GT).