Relationship Between Plant Type and Grain Quality of Japonica Hybrid Rice in Northern China

Plant type and grain quality are two major aspects in rice breeding. Using canonical correlation analysis and canonical redundancy analysis, the relationship between plant type traits and rice grain quality traits was studied with 100 crosses derived from 10 sterile lines × 10 restorer lines. There was a complex relationship between parts of the traits of the two aspects. The angle of the 2nd leaf from the top and single panicle weight played important roles in plant type system and amylose content and grain length in grain quality system. The angle of the 2nd leaf from the top, plant height and single panicle weight had a great effect on grain quality traits, and amylose content, brown rice rate and translucency were easily influenced by plant type traits. Selection index model indicated that japonica hybrid rice in Northern China with good quality was characterized by broad flag leaf and 2nd leaf from the top, narrow and short 3rd leaf from the top, low plant height, short culm, long and more panicles and low single panicle weight.