Pyramiding resistance genes for bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae) into the popular rice variety, Pratikshya through marker assisted backcrossing.

Background: Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) is one of the major biotic stress in rice cultivation. Management techniques, such as the development of BLB-resistant cultivars, are required to lessen the severity of the disease attack and yield losses. Pratikshya was selected in the present investigation as the recipient parent, as it is one of the popular high-yielding rice varieties of Odisha, India, which is having excellent grain as well as cooking quality.