Forty drought tolerant rice genotypes were used to study genetic variability, character association and path analysis between yield and its contributing traits under semi-dry cultivation in two environments. Irrespective of the environment, high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation coupled with high heritability and high genetic advance in spikelet sterility and leaf area index indicated the predominance of additive gene effects in controlling them. Difference in GCV estimates over the environments was found to be a good tool to find out favourable environment to exploit genotypic variation and to exercise selection for improvement of traits. Productive tiller number, harvest index and drymatter production had positive and significant correlation with yield in both environments. Harvest index and drymatter production showed positive and direct effect on yield, and a negative indirect effect on each other with yield.

Genotypic correlation and path co-efficient analyses were carried out in F3 populations of two intervarietal crosses of rice for grain yield and its components. Tiller, number, panicle length and plant height showed positive correlation with grain yield. Hundred grain weight exhibited negative correlation with grain yield. Due stress must be laid on number of productive tillers per plant and panicle length during the selection for higher yield in rice.