Genetic diversity among parental lines of Indica hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) in China based on coefficient of parentage

Genetic diversity constitutes the raw material for plant improvement, and provides protection against genetic vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stresses. Diversity of parental lines of indica hybrid rice in China is not well‐characterized. The major objective of this study was to quantify genetic diversity of Chinese parental lines of hybrid rice via coefficient of parentage (COP). All 100 parental lines of hybrid rice widely used in hybrid breeding and commercial production during 1976–2003 were studied by COP analysis. The mean COP for the 100 parental lines was low (0.056), indicating a potentially high degree of diversity in Chinese hybrid rice breeding. Forty‐nine percent of all pairs of parental lines were completely unrelated by pedigree data. The low mean COP for the parental lines was attributed to a continual incorporation of exotic germplasm (wild rice, japonica and javanica etc.) into the genetic base over time, to the introduction of foreign germplasm from the Philippines (International Rice Research Institute), Korea, the United States, Thailand, and Guyana as breeding stock. The mean COP from 1976 to 1990 was twice as much as that from 1990 to 2003. Cluster analysis was an effective method to discriminate diversity, ten clusters were identified, and maintainer lines, restorer lines and other parental lines with special genetic background were clearly grouped. In addition, restorer lines were further divided into 11 sub‐clusters, which basically was in agreement with hybrid rice breeding. Among ten provinces, Hunan, Sichuan and Fujian were outstanding for breeding 54 of 100 parental lines in hybrid rice production, and the genetic diversity of parental lines in Fujian, Sichuan,Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangsu were all narrower than that in Hubei, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangxi. The result of coefficient of parentage analysis for 100 parental lines may promote the management of parental diversity and hybrid rice breeding in China.