Heterosis in inter and intrasubspecific crosses over three-environments in rice

Moderate to high heterosis for yield and ten related characters was studied in 45 crosses involving six indica (I) and four tropical japonica (J) varieties of rice under three (E₁-optimum sowing and high fertility, E₂-both optimum sowing and fertility and E₃- late sowing and high fertility) environments. Trends of magnitude of heterosis for grain yield and plant height were I/J > I/I > J/J and for days to 50% flowering I/J > J/J > I/I hybrids. Estimates of standard heterosis (%) for grain yield were –64.5 to 146.1 in E₁, –70.4 to 82.2 in E₂ and –67.2 to 63.8 in E₃. Environment E₁ seemed to be more favorable for higher heterosis expression than others. Higher heterosis in yield also accompanied heterosis in panicle number, dry matter and spikelet and grain number per panicle. Most estimates for days to flower were negative. Heterotic I/J hybrids also recorded maximum heterosis for earliness. Moderate to low standard heterosis for plant height across environments (2.0 to 13.7%) was recorded. Hybrids were identified in specific environments for direct exploitation in hybrid breeding. Hybrids B4116 / Sarjoo 52, B4122 / Pant Dhan 4 and B4122 / Narendera 359 were more stable than others over three environments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.