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Five new varieties of Rice identified for
release
During
the recently concluded 42nd Annual All India
Rice Research Group Meeting in Hyderabad, five new
improved varieties of rice including one hybrid were
identified for release in different regions of India.
These include Pusa Basmati 1460 and RP BIO 226, both of
which are bacterial leaf blight resistant.
Pusa 1460 (IET 18990),
a semi dwarf type plant is suitable for
irrigated-transplanted production condition. It is
developed by Delhi based Indian Agricultural Research
Institute under ICAR. Pusa 1460 is the Basmati type
product developed using molecular marker assisted
selection. It has a flowering duration of 103 days with
significantly yield advantage over Tarorai Basmati with
yield and quality features on par with Pusa Basmati 1
identified for the traditional Basmati growing areas.
The new variety provides an alternative for
most popular Basmati variety, Pusa Basmati 1 in the
region. This variety is highly susceptible to bacterial
blight and has mild aroma. Pusa 1460 is resistance to
bacterial leaf blight (BLB) which is severe disease and is
one of the major constraints. Basmati or aromatic rice
lines are highly susceptible to bacterial blight. Pusa
1460 is the resistant genotype having Basmati quality
traits developed through molecular marker. It has strong
aroma, less chalky grains and other quality attributes on
par with recurrent parent Pusa Basmati 1.
Pusa 1460 has long slender aromatic grains
with good KLAC (13.73 mm), intermediate amylose (23.9%),
which is highly preferred. It has been rated overall as an
acceptable culture in the panel test on account of strong
aroma, tenderness on touching and taste. It has less
chalky grains as compared to check variety and recurrent
parent Pusa Basmati 1. It recorded 28.6 per cent higher
yield than Pusa Basmati 1 in Haryana, the heart land of
Basmati. Pusa 1460 recorded yield of on par with the
national check Pusa Basmati 1 and 23.5 per cent higher
yield than Taraori Basmati during Kharif season.
Another rice variety, RP BIO 226 (IET
19046) is developed by Hyderabad based Directorate of
Rice Research. This variety is a near isogenic line
containing the bacterial blight resistance genes, Xa21,
xa13 and xa5 developed in the genetic background of an
elite fine grained rice variety, Samba Mahsuri. It is
developed through marker assisted backcross breeding.
RP BIO 226 (IET 19046) gives an average
yield 46.3 q/ha and is suitable for bacterial leaf blight
endemic areas Southern, parts of Eastern and Western zones
where fine-grained varieties like Samba Mahsuri, Sona
Mahsuri, PKV HMT, etc are grown. These are susceptible to
bacterial leaf blight which is a major disease in rice.
RP BIO 226 has excellent grain and cooking
quality. Considering the equivalence in terms of grain and
cooking quality, it could serve as a replacement to Samba
Mahsuri. The fine grained variety, Samba Mahsuri is
presently occupying 3.3 per cent of rice growing area in
the country spread over five states, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. Samba
Mahsuri gets very high premium price of Rs 600-800 per
quintal as against other varieties which get Rs 300-400
per quintal.
Tailoring Samba Mahsuri with
built-in-resistance to bacterial leaf blight without
causing any change in its agro-morphological and physio-chemical
characters for which it gets the price and consumer
preference are the special features of the RP BIO 226 (IET
19046). It is also developed through marker assisted
backcross breeding.
The rice variety MTU 1075 (IET 18482)
has shown superior performance for yield (56.3q/ha),
resistance to major diseases/pests and with excellent
grain and cooking quality characteristic. MTU 1075 is
developed by Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University,
Andhra Pradesh. The variety provides
alternative/replacement for medium duration varieties
during kharif season in the Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
The variety UPR 2870 (IET 17544)
developed by GB Pant University of Agriculture and
Technology. IET 17544, a culture of high yield (70q/ha)
potential which surpassed Jaya, NDR 359 and KRH 2 in north
western region, also recorded superior yields in western
region. It possesses resistance to leaf blast, moderate
resistance to BLB, sheath rot, stem borer and leaf folder.
Hybrid Rice International, Hyderabad has
developed HRI-152 (IET-18815) for the states of
Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The mid-early duration of this
hybrid HRI-152 would best fit in cropping pattern viz.
rice-wheat, thus increasing productivity of both the
crops. Also, its mid-early duration of this hybrid would
also contribute in saving the water and uses without
reducing the yield. It is high tolerant to leaf blast with
a potential to give average yield of 65.8 q/ha.
Rice plays a pivotal role in Indian economy
as the staple food for two thirds of the population.
Globally, India ranks first in area, 43.6 million ha and
second in production (91.7 million t). While almost all
the states grow rice, the top seven rice producing states
are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.
Rice in India is grown under diverse
conditions. It is cultivated exclusively as rainfed crop
in areas with precarious monsoon and unpredictable
rainfall distribution. It is also raised in areas where
water level reaches 5 metres or more. The rice culture in
Kuttanad district of Kerala is below the sea level, while
in the states of J&K, it is grown almost upto an altitude
of 2000 msl.
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