The objective of this work was to evaluate, using the diallelic analysis, the potential of ten varieties of red rice for the implementation of a breeding program. The identification of parents was performed with ten lendraces was performed with in a complete diallel crossing without reciprocals. The varieties and their 45 diallel crosses were evaluated in generations F1 and F3 for agronomic traits in a randomized block design. For the yield character, the following characteristics were evaluated: varietal effect, varietal heterosis and specific heterosis in each generation, plus the general combining ability. Significant differences among parents for the traits evaluated were detected; and the crosses 'AL03/PB13' and 'PB05/PB10' were considered the most promising for selection of elite lines of red rice for the favorable parameter estimates related to yield, genetic diversity and combining ability of their parents.
Oryza sativa; country rice; combining ability; rice breeding; hybrid vigor
