SCREENING OF BC1 F1 POPULATION (BG 379-2/ IR 07F102 // BG 379-2) OF RICE (Oryza sativa L.) FOR SUBMERGENCE TOLERANCE USING MOLECULAR MARKERS

Abstract

Rice is susceptible to submergence from germination to early vegetative stage and affects wetland paddy cultivation areas of Sri Lanka is affected by flash floods. There are no submergence tolerant varieties available locally. Therefore, this research was designed to evaluate the BC1 F1 population (Bg 379-2/ IR 07F102 // Bg 379-2) morphologically for submergence tolerance and to select polymorphic molecular markers between the donor parents IR07F102 and recurrent parent, Bg 379-2, and to screen and select plants of the BC1 F1 population for submergence tolerance using identified molecular markers. The 108 individuals of BC1 F1 of rice were morphologically screened for plant lodging, leaf senescence and plant elongation and molecular screening was done by using 5 Rice microsatellites and 1 In Del marker. Out of those, molecular marker, RM464A for SUB1 gene conferring submergence tolerance, was used to screen the BC1 F1 population. Five plants were selected as submergence tolerant individuals as they were positive in both morphological and molecular screening.