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Sci Tech
Hardy rice with field tolerance to leaf folder and stem borer
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
The high yielding variety is drought-tolerant and produces bold white grains of good cooking qualities.
SCIENTISTS AT the Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, have developed an improved drought-tolerant rice variety with long bold white grains and field tolerance to leaf folder and stem borer pests. The high yielding variety christened `PMK (R) 3' was recently released for commercial cultivation by the farmers by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore.
The new variety is a cross derivative pedigree of UPLRI 7 and CO 43. The female parent UPLRI 7 is a variety suited for drought conditions and the male parent CO 43 was selected for its high yield and adaptability to saline conditions. Growing to a height of 100 to 110 cm, this semi-dwarf variety grows erect, and this early maturing variety comes to harvest in 110 to 115 days. It is tolerant to leaf spot, leaf blast and sheath rot in field conditions. It is resistant to white-backed plant hopper under controlled conditions.
This semi-dwarf and non-lodging and non-shattering variety is responsive to fertilizer application. However, liberal application of organic manure and biofertilizers would prove to be of added advantage. It is particularly suited for cultivation in September-October sowing. All the cultural practices adopted for growing high yielding rice varieties in dry and semi-dry systems are applicable for growing this variety. For direct seeding, a seed rate of 100 kg per hectare is recommended, according to the scientists.
Highly drought-tolerant, the new variety recorded a mean grain yield of 2850 kg per hectare in 108 days in the on-station demonstration trials at ARS, Paramakudi. The yield was 18 per cent higher than PMK 2 and 47 per cent more than that of PMK 1, according to the scientists. In the multi-location trials (upland) conducted at different research centres of TNAU, the variety registered an average grain yield of 2280 kg per hectare.
It did extremely well in the adaptive research trials and recorded an average grain yield of 3819 kg grains per hectare. In the national trials (in direct seeded conditions), it recorded an average yield of 2902 kg per hectare.
The total biological yield of this variety is 9.8 tonnes per hectare (3.025 tonnes grain and 6.8 tonnes of straw), and its potential yield was 6.8 tonnes per hectare, according to the scientists. The rice grain is long bold, white and its 100 grains weighed 26 g. It has high amylose content (27 per cent) and high milling percentage and head recovery. It has good cooking quality and has traits preferred by the consumers.
PMK (R) 3 is recommended for cultivation in Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi districts where direct seeding is prevalent under upland conditions. It is particularly suited for rainfed and semi-dry regions of Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai districts during northeast monsoon period (September-October to December-January). It is also recommended for Virudhunagar, Kancheepuram and Thoothukudi districts.
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