New Delhi, India
April 20, 2007
New, improved rice varieties:
an alternate for PUSA BASMATI 1 and SAMBA MAHSURI
The farmers of the traditional Basmati growing areas of Haryana,
Punjab, J&K, Delhi and Uttarakhand will get new rice variety
having higher yield (37 q/ha) than Pusa Basmati 1. Pusa 1460
(IET 18990) is developed by pyramiding bacterial leaf blight
(BLB) resistance genes (xa13 & Xa21) in the background of Pusa
Basmati 1 through marker assisted backcross breeding. Similarly,
the farmers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Chhatisgarh
and Uttar Pradesh will also have new variety, RP BIO 226 (IET
19046) which is improved variety and provides an alternative for
popular fine-grained variety Samba Mahsuri.
The Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) has identified five new
improved varieties and hybrid of rice for release in different
agro-climatic regions of the country. It includes four new
improved varieties and one hybrid of rice. These were identified
during the 42nd All India Rice Research Group Meeting held
recently in Hyderabad after considering various proposals. More
than 400 delegates comprising the cooperators of various ICAR
centres, Directors of Research of State Agriculture
Universities, representatives of private sector and non
government organizations participated in the meeting.
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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