Genetic Diversity of Grain Quality Characters in Bangladesh Rice Germplasm

Abstract

Grain quality characters of 575 Bangladesh rice cultivars from 7 ecotypes were studied. The cultivars were collected from 6 distinct regions (Rajshahi, Dhaka, Sylhet, Barisal, Khulna and Chittagong) of the country. Significant variation was observed in all the parameters investigated. The range of grain length, width, thickness and weight of 100 grains varied between 5.26 mm and 10.36 mm, 1.76 mm and 3.68 mm, 1.30 mm and 2.54 mm, and between 0.84 g and 3.68 g, respectively. Long grains (7.76-9.00 mm) were found to be present in a maximum number of cultivars. However, based on length/width ratio (grain shape), medium grains (L/W ratio 2.10-3.00) showed the maximum frequency. Grain quality characters varied widely according to ecotypes. The cultivars of Transplanted Aman (T. Aman) ecotype exhibited the highest level of genetic variation. Geographical distribution of grain quality parameters differed according to the regions. Cultivars collected from Khulna region were more diverse than cultivars collected from other regions.

Studies on Grain Physicochemical Characteristics of Bangladesh Indigenous Rice Cultivars

“…Many of the traditional rice varieties are of better quality than the modern varieties in terms of size and shape of the grains, cooking quality and nutritional value, etc. (Kaul et al, 1982;Islam, 1990Islam, , 1996Jahan et al, 2002aJahan et al, , 2002bJahan et al, , 2005. Cooking and eating characteristics are largely determined by the properties of starch that makes up 90% of milled rice.…”