Microsatellite-Aided Screening for Fertility Restoration Genes (Rf) Facilitates Hybrid Improvement

DNA markers enabled to determine the chromosomal locations of the two Rf genes(Rf3 and Rf4) in the wild-abortive cytoplasmic male sterility(WA-CMS) system. Four simple sequence repeats(SSRs) RM171, RM258, RM315 and RM443 were used to detect the allelic status with respect to the fertility restoration genes(Rf3 and Rf4) in 300 rice cultivars or breeding lines. The results revealed that out of 300 lines, 90 lines screened had Rf3, 65 lines had Rf4, and 45 lines had Rf3 and Rf4 alleles. Furthermore, 45 lines selected using SSR markers were mated with a CMS line(IR58025A) to analyze their restoring ability. Offspring of all the test lines except HHZ8-SAL9DT1-Y1, HHZ5-SAL9-Y3-1 and IDSA77 exhibited higher pollen and spikelet fertility(> 80%), thus confirming they bear the Rf alleles. The hybrid offspring of ARH12-6-1-1-B-3-1, IR32307-10-3-2-1 and Sahel 329 had the highest pollen fertility(97.39%, 98.30% and 97.10%, respectively) and spikelet fertility(95.10%, 97.07% and 96.10%, respectively).

Alternate phenotype–genotype selection for developing superior high-yielding irrigated rice lines

Increase grain yield potential is one of the most important objectives of any cereal crop breeding program. To efficiently develop superior rice lines by the introgression of favorable alleles for yield and yield component traits, a strategy of alternate phenotype–genotype selection was used. The present study aimed to(i) investigate the allelic diversity of loci associated with major yield-component traits and(ii) phenotype and genotype advanced populations derived from crosses between NERICA-L-20 and Giza178 for yield component traits using agro-morphological descriptors and GRi SP polymorphic markers to select superior high-yielding rice lines. A total of 100 F2:3 progeny were selected from 1000 F2 plants and genotyped with 16 polymorphic markers linked to four major yield-component traits. Four promising F2:3 lines(ARS 563–14, ARS 563–62, ARS 563–286, and ARS 563–41)bearing combinations of desirable alleles were selected. A selected set of 20 F2:4 lines showed moderate to high heritability for all target traits. Fourteen F2:5 lines derived from ARS 563–14 and 17 F2:5 from ARS 563–286 families were evaluated in preliminary trials to estimate yield gain. The three top lines, ARS 563–286–16-1-1, ARS 563–286–5-1-1, and ARS563–14–10-1-1, showed an increase of more than 10% grain yield over the best check, Sahel108, which is widely cultivated in the Senegal River valley. The 16 markers linked to the target yield component traits can be used to fast-track breeding programs targeting rice productivity.