Seventy eight numbers of pigmented rice genotypes collected from different states of NE India were studied at Bahona College, Jorhat, India during kharif season of 2016-17 for genetic parameters, correlation and principal component analysis. Analysis of variance and principal component analysis revealed the presence of high variability among the genotypes for all the traits. High estimates of geneotypic coefficient of variability and heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean were recorded for iron and manganese content. A positive and significant correlation was observed for Fe content with ash content at genotypic level. The estimates of genotypic variance, heritability and genetic advance as percent of mean indicated that characters iron content, total phenolic content and antioxidant contents are the most important among all the characters studied and selection based on these traits would be very effective in adopting rice improvement programmes enhancing nutritional quality through plant breeding.
