Shashidhar, H. EASHLESHA C, PATIL2017-08-212017-08-212015-10-07Th-11259http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810029172Biofortification is a genetic approach and one of the most cost effective apporaches to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition. Compared to varieties hybrids offer an added advantage of biofortification as for mineral heterosis be explored. Seven hybrids, sixty one rice genotypes and three hundred F2 progenies of Gopal Doddiga x BI 33 were grown in University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru: The objectives of study were to estimate grain Zn content and productivity, design Zn transporters specific primers and validation of markers associated for grain Zn content. Significant genotypic differences were observed for all the quantitative traits in hybrids, F2 population and rice genotypes, indicating considerable amount of variation exists in these genetic materials. All hybrids manifested significant positive standard heterosis for most of the traits except for days to first flowering, plant height and panicle length. All hybrids except KRH 2 showed significant positive standard heterosis for grain Zn content. Only two hybrids exhibited significant positive standard heterosis for leaf and root Zn content. To understand variations in Zn content at sequence level, twenty primers were designed for eight genes. Amplified primer products of five primers viz. OsZIP2-l, OsZIP3-2, OsZIP4-3, OsZIP5-3, OsZIP6-1 were sequenced. Amplicon of primers exhibited nucleotide variation and manifested significant association with grain, leaf and root Zn content except OsZIP5-3. Four candidate gene primers found associated with grain Zn content in F2 population and only two primers manifested significant positive association with grain Zn content in rice genotypes. Highest Zn content and productivity was manifested for segregant (GB 224) from F2 populationennullThesis