Diallel Analysis for Rice Allelopathic Potential against Barnyardgrass Assessed in Field Condition

A complete diallel cross was performed to determine the inheritance of allelopathic potential and combining ability of six rice germplasm that showed different level of allelopathic potential against barnyardgrass. Parents and F1 of 30 crosses were assessed for allelophatic potential in field condition. Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. var. frumentaceae) was used for rice allelopathic potential indicator which was observed in height and shoot dry weight, then suppression percentage were calculated by comparing to barnyardgrass grown in control plot (no rice). It was found that general combining ability showed no significant effect, whereas specific combining ability and reciprocal effect were significant. Variance analysis confirmed that genetic control of allelopathic potential in rice against barnyardgrass was mostly directed by dominance gene effect. The dominant genes were associated with high allelopathic potential and recessive genes were associated with low allelopathic potential. Heritability in broad sense for barnyardgrass dry weight suppression was around 41%; whereas for barnyardgrass height suppression was 51%. However, heritability in narrow sense was very low. The finding suggests that accumulation of genes associated with allelopathic potential would be a strategy to develop promising varieties in reference with the specific combining ability of cross combinations.