Evaluation of Adaptability in rice and ragi: Use of streptomycin, maleic hydrazide, dark treatment and RAPD bands in predicting adaptability at seedling stage

Shorttitle:Newly evolved crop genotypes need multi- location trials for evaluating their yielding ability and adaptation. Multilocation trials are more expensive as they need inputs like money and man power, land and labour etc. New approaches and novel techniques need be adopted to counteract constraints of cost and time. The present study aimed at developing some simple, rapid and inexpensive laboratory method for evaluating yield potential, adaptability and stability of crop genotypes that can be used for a preliminary selection of promising lines from a large number of high-yielding breeding lines. Here attempts were made to find indicators of adaptability and yield stability of genotypes in terms of their sensitivity to streptomycin, maleic hydrazide and dark treatments at seedling stage and polymorphic banding pattern of genotypes using rice and ragi as test crops. We conclude with our conviction that integration of the novel and the conventional approaches/techniques can contribute to cost- effectiveness in crop improvement. This economic consideration is the main concern of plant breeders and germplasm workers.