Genetic Analysis of Traits Associated with Panicle and Flag Leaf in Tropical Japonica Rice

Diallel analysis was conducted with FI's derived from crossing in all combinations without reciprocals among six rice varieties; three tropical japonica and three temperate japonica varieties, with different traits associated with panicle and flag leaf. Epistasis was observed in the number of primary branches (PB) per panicle and of spikelets per panicle, while flag leaf length, flag leaf color, PB length and neck node thickness were explained with the additive-dominance model. The estimated genetic mode of flag leaf length and PB length was a positive complete dominance model with high heritability, and that of flag leaf color and neck node thickness was an incomplete dominance model. In particular, tropical japonica varieties with low-tillering and heavy-panicle appear to have higher number of dominant genes for flag leaf length and PB length than temperate japonica varieties.