India ranks second in production of rice (Oryza sativa). The culm plays an important role in determining the lodging resistance and crop architecture of rice. The gene, STRONG CULM (SCM2) has been reported to be associated with strong culm. In the present study, BC2F2 lines in the background of Improved Samba Mahsuri (ISM) derived by crossing Improved Samba Mahsuri (ISM) and a breeding line of Swarna possessing SCM2 were genotyped for presence of SCM2 with a newly designed gene specific marker (SCM2-8F/8R) and plants positive for the gene were then phenotyped and measured for Culm thickness with an average of three plants per each line of the BC2F2 selected best lines along with the parents for culm thickness by measuring the Culm diameter with Vernier Calipers and by observing the Internode Culm cross sections under Microscope. All the backcross plants possessing the gene had significantly better culm thickness, and culm diameter as compared to Improved Samba Mahsuri indicating a perfect cosegregation of trait phenotype with marker genotype, validating the utility of the marker. The backcross plants of ISM possessing increased culm strength are being crossed with breeding lines of ISM possessing higher number of per panicle. | Field evaluation of backcross progenies of improved Samba mahsuri possessing SCM2 Gene
