Kumara Pillai, PVarkey, P AKAU2020-05-222020-05-221964http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810146298PGWith a view to formulating a suitable selection index for grain yield using the discriminant function technique and to testing its efficiency over direct selection, twenty established paddy varieties of Kerala were studied for their yield and associated characters. The analysis of variance showed that these varieties differed significantly in the characters, namely, grain yield , plant height, number of ear bearing tillers, length of primary ear, weight of primary ear, number of grains per primary ear, yield of straw and 1000-grain weight.enThesis