Inheritance of anthocyanin pigmentation in interspecific cross of rice (Oryza sativa L. × O. rufipogon Griff)

An inheritance study of the anthocyanin pigmentation in the inter-specific cross of O. sativa × O. rufipogon was conducted in the greenhouse of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, including the parents, F1 and subsequent F2 segregants in the rice growing season of the year 2012. The study was done in the segregating generation of the inter-specific cross of O. sativa cv. Pokhreli Palele × O. rufipogon. The inheritance of anthocyanin pigmentation pattern in the different plant parts was found to be complicated. The segregation of pigmented: non-pigmented for basal leaf sheath, stigma and leaf apex was digenic with complementary gene action (9: 7). Digenic inheritance of the pigmentation in the awn and lemma and palea was found with the segregation ratio of 11 pigmented: 5 non-pigmented. A tetragenic ratio with inhibitory gene action (81 pigmented: 175 non-pigmented) was observed for the internode colour. A pleiotropic gene action of one of the basal leaf sheath pigmentation with that for the stigma and internode pigmentation was found.