DR. KANYA JAMES IRERI

Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) is preferred by consumers over other varieties because of its aroma and good cooking traits. However, its yield is genetically low compared to other pure bred lines. To increase yield of Basmati per hectare, it has become necessary to adopt hybrid rice technology that has been reported to increase yield by up to 30% above pure dwarf lines. Photoperiod-sensitive genic male sterile (PGMS) and Thermosensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) rice lines contain genes that confer male sterility under long day light-length and high temperature growth conditions, respectively. Pollination of these lines, in their male sterile period, with a viable male parent pollen produce hybrid seeds. The problem of using PGMS or TGMS is that in the tropics, day-light length is 12hours and diurnal temperature range is high, making induction of complete male-sterility in these lines difficult. The result is contamination of hybrid seeds with self-bred pure line seeds. The objective of this research work was to produce pure hybrid Basmati seeds. Hypothesis to be tested is that anthocyanin markers can be used to differentiate hybrid F1s from pure inbred seedlings. This tool can be used in selection of Basmati hybrid seedlings free from contamination with self-bred parents before transplanting and therefore save on the associated losses. The F1 seeds from a cross between PGMS or TGMS and Basmati were sown in greenhouse at KARI Mwea- Kimbibi station. Hybrid seeds were scored for anthocynanin morphological marker, by observation, to differentiate them from the pure bred lines. All hybrids involving Basmati370 and Basmati217 had very conspicuous incidence of anthocyanin which made them distinct from the parents. The conclusion is that anthocyanin can be used as a marker to separate F1 hybrid plants from the parents.

Key words: Anthocyanins, Morphological marker, Basmati, Hybrid rice seed