Identification of Newer Stable Genetic Sources for High Grain Number per Panicle and Understanding the Gene Action for Important Panicle Traits in Rice.

Rice is an important food crop extensively cultivated worldwide, and rice's grain yield should be improved to meet future food demand. Grain number per panicle is the main trait that determines the grain yield in rice, and other panicle-related traits influence the grain number. To study the genetic diversity, 50 diverse Indian-origin germplasm were evaluated for grain number per panicle and other panicle traits for two consecutive seasons ( 2019 and 2020).

Gene Pyramiding for Achieving Enhanced Resistance to Bacterial Blight, Blast, and Sheath Blight Diseases in Rice.

Bacterial blight, blast, and sheath blight are the commonest diseases causing substantial yield loss in rice around the world. Stacking of broad-spectrum resistance genes/QTLs into popular cultivars is becoming a major objective of any disease resistance breeding program. The varieties ASD 16 and ADT 43 are the two popular, high yielding, and widely grown rice cultivars of South India, which are susceptible to bacterial blight (BB), blast, and sheath blight diseases.

Improvement of Stable Restorer Lines for Blast Resistance through Functional Marker in Rice ( L.).

Two popular stable restorer lines, CB 87 R and CB 174 R, were improved for blast resistance through marker-assisted back-cross breeding (MABB). The hybrid rice development program in South India extensively depends on these two restorer lines. However, these restorer lines are highly susceptible to blast disease.

Functional Marker Assisted Improvement of Stable Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Lines of Rice for Bacterial Blight Resistance.

Bacterial blight (BB), caused by .oryzae is one among the major diseases in rice, which in severe condition cause losses up to 60% in total yield. Marker assisted pyramiding of three broad spectrum BB resistance genes (, and ) in prominent rice varieties is the most economical and effective strategy for the management of the BB disease.