Selection of Ideotypes to Increase Potential Yield of Rice Cultivars Using Multivariate Models

Using classical breeding, plant breeders envision a plant type whose yield they aim to enhance by selecting for individual traits to create model/ideal plants or ideotypes. The experiment was carried out as a randomized complete blocks design with four replications and 15 local rice cultivars, required were collected for using path coefficient analysis and mahalanobis distance analysis. The results revealed that the higher positive effect on paddy yield was determined by panicle weight and number of spikelet per panicle. The higher negative effect on paddy yield was determined by DFM and FT. The highest genetic distance was observed between cv. ‘Langroudi’ and cv. ‘Tarom Hashemi’ and the least one was between cv. ‘Gharib Reihani’ and ‘Ahlami Tarom’. Totally, all local cultivars were close to each other in terms of the genetic distance. This result shows that ideotype, this ideotype yield gap can be compensated. According to the findings, the high level of paddy-yield changes and contribution of each factor affecting it shows that with proper management, a significant part of this change can be compensated and lead to potential yield.