Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate two exotic rice hybrids (CH-1, CH2) and two locally
developed rice hybrid combinations (HR-10, Bg407H) with two standard check (SC) inbred varieties
(Bg357, Bg403) and a restorer line (R16). The experiment was conducted in Maha season in 2015/2016
at research field of Rice Research and Development Institute, Batalagoda according to the randomized
complete block design with four replicates. All the agronomic practices were conducted according to the
recommendations of Department of Agriculture (DOA). The grain yield of the tested hybrids CH-1, CH-2,
HR-10, and Bg407H was 2.54 t/h, 3.27 t/h, 3.62 t/h and 4.09 t/h, respectively. These yield levels were not
significantly higher than the yield of their check varieties: 3.16 t/h (Bg 357) and 4.05 t/h (Bg403). CH-2
recorded a significantly higher 1000 grain weight (TGW) (33.1g) compared to the respective check variety
Bg357 (22.3g) and all inbred varieties. This was not significantly higher compared to TGW of all hybrids.
Filled grain/panicle (FG/P), unfilled grain/panicle (UFG/P), flag leaf length (FLL) and flag leaf weight
(FLW) were not significantly different among all hybrids. Tested four hybrids (CH-1, CH-2, HR-10 and
Bg407H) showed standard heterosis 14.67%, 3.66%, 15.83% and 1.47%, respectively. These exotic hybrid
CH-1 and CH-2 did not show high level (>15%) of heterosis to be selected for local cultivation.
