Improving yield components and overall yield in M2?M4 phenotypic mutants, induced by {EMS}, of upland red rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. Dawk Kha 50

Mutation breeding has been used to enhance qualitative and quantitative traits of rice. The objective of this study was to improve yield or yield component in mutated population of upland red rice induced by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Two thousand and five hundred seeds of upland red rice cultivar Dawk Kha 50 were exposed to EMS at 1.23% based on root length of LD50, to make M1; M2 generation was segregated for selection of desirable agronomic traits. From selected M2 plants, seven M3 lines and five M4 lines of induced upland red rice were evaluated for yield and other traits. The mutant traits selected were successfully observed on many traits, such as number of filled grains/panicle, size of paddy, brown color of the rice. Grain yield of mutant lines was higher than that of the wild type. Phenotypic evaluation of the five M4 lines, comparing to the wild type cultivar Dawk Kha 50, showed a higher number of filled grains/panicle, size of paddy and brown color of the rice in M4 43-1-1-1 and M4 43-2-1-3. The tenderness of cooked mutant rice was better than the wild type. It, hence, could be concluded that EMS improved agronomic traits of red rice. Moreover, the best mutant lines would be further used in developing commercial varieties or future breeding materials.