Vol. 9, Special Issue 9, Part A (2025)

The goal of the current study was to assess genetic variability of 264 lines of rice developed using marker assisted selection for BLB resistance and speed breeding technology in BC₂F₃ generation during Kharif 2024 using an augmented design. Total 12 traits were noted in order to investigate PCV, GCV, heritability and genetic advances. Characters under the present experiment are polygenic in the nature, phenotypic coefficient of variation values are slightly higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation, which denote that the metric characters were less influenced by the environment. Therefore, response to keynote direct selection may be effective in improving these traits. Keynote number of productive panicles per plant, single panicle weight and number of grains per panicle denoted moderate genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation as well as grain yield plant^-1 (g) found high genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for number of productive panicles plant^-1, single panicle weight, number of grains panicle^-1, and grain yield plant^-1 (g) that these traits were controlled by additive type of gene action in the inheritance. Hence, direct selection of such characters would be effective.