Search

Rice is one of the most important staple foods globally, sustaining over half of the world's population. However, the sustainability of grain production is increasingly threatened by heat stress, which is intensified by global climate change. Heat stress, characterized by temperatures exceeding crop-specific optimal growth thresholds, significantly impacts the rice yield and quality, particularly during critical reproductive stages. This review synthesizes current research on strategies to mitigate heat stress in rice through genetic and agronomic approaches. It highlights the implementation of advanced genetic tools such as marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS) to accelerate the breeding of heat-tolerant rice varieties. Additionally, it discusses sustainable agronomic practices, including adjusting planting dates, optimizing water management, and crop rotation, which enhance resilience to heat stress. The objective of this review is to bridge the gap between research findings and practical agricultural applications, providing a comprehensive resource that guides future research directions and informs policy interventions. This review emphasizes the importance of integrating genetic innovations with traditional and modern farming practices to develop rice varieties that can withstand the adverse effects of heat stress, ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability in the face of climatic challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refine current agricultural practices considering environmental changes are crucial for finding tolerant rice varieties that can meet the demands of human consumption. To this end, stability analysis assesses a crop genotype's ability to adapt to various conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to (1) examine the interaction between rice genotypes and environmental conditions; (2) evaluate the stability of twelve rice genotypes using various stability methods; (3) identify representative environments for multi-environment testing; and (4) determine superior genotypes for specific environments. The evaluated rice cultivars were Sakha 101, Sakha 104, Sakha 105, Sakha 106, Sakha 107, Sakha 108, Giza 177, Giza 178, Giza 179, Giza 182, Egyptian Yasmine, and Sakha super 300. The experiment followed a strip-plot design, with three replications. The findings revealed significant differences among the rice varieties across various environments for the majority of the assessed characteristics. The joint regression analysis of variance demonstrated highly significant differences among rice cultivars for all the studied traits in terms of genotype-by-environment interaction (G × E). The statistical significance of the interaction between genetic and environmental factors was evident for all variables demonstrating heritable variation among the rice cultivars, specifically Sakha 108, Sakha 104, Giza 177, and Giza 178, concerning grain yield per feddan. These rice cultivars exhibited stability parameters that were not significantly different from unity for the regression coefficient (bi) and from zero for the deviations from regression (S2di) for those traits. Overall, stability criteria are essential for ensuring reliable rice production, meeting human consumption, advancing genetic improvement, and promoting environmental sustainability in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Western Himalayan region, particularly the Kashmir valley, harbors a rich diversity of rice landraces, yet systematic studies on climate resilience are lacking. The present study was aimed at investigating the root traits and their interplay with shoot morphological and physiological traits under drought stress using seven indica and three japonica rice varieties released by SKUAST-Kashmir and their possible role in adaptive capacity to different environments. Significant variability was observed in root and shoot traits across the varieties. Root traits exhibited a wide phenotypic range, including rooting depth, fresh and dry weight, diameter, length, volume, surface area, and length density. Associations between root and shoot traits were identified, with notable correlations such as shoot weight with root shoot ratio, shoot length with root dry weight, diameter, and surface area, and tiller number with various root traits. Additionally, physiological traits like canopy temperature depression showed significant correlations with root depth and surface area. Principal component analysis (PCA) analysis grouped japonica type varieties together with a notable outlier, Chenab, due to its superior root traits among indica varieties. These findings emphasize the substantial contribution of root traits to productivity and advocate for their integration into varietal development processes. In view of the increasing evidences in crop plants about their role of root traits in defining plant productivity and reproductive fitness, study of root traits could provide valuable insights into the patterns of crop adaptation to diverse areas and growing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Agricultural techniques are inherently connected to social organization. Under colonialism, broadly understood as foreign powers suppressing (parts of) a local population, escape agriculture offers a way to avoid despotism by producing food and other produce in independent and sustainable ways. Crop diversity plays an important role in escape agriculture, demonstrated here by the variation of rice varieties on Maroon farms in Suriname. Histories of Maroon agricultural practices, and similarly marginalized groups in (formerly) colonized regions, are informative for current interventions in agriculture. Agronomic support to marginalized groups will only be successful when addressing historically grown social disengagement. Summary: Rationale: Food is essential for successful marronage and produced by means of escape agriculture. Today, communities in the interior of Suriname continue to farm by following practices of escape agriculture. Our study traces the historical development of these farming practices, in particular the extensive cultivation of rice. Our aim is to show that the diversity of rice varieties used in their fields reveals the sophisticated farming techniques and social significance of escape agriculture.Methods: We visited about 60 farm plots upstream the main rivers of Suriname where we interviewed the person in charge about the rice varieties grown in their fields. We asked about origin, names, and characteristics of each rice variety. We also screened historical sources, primary and secondary, as well as anthropological accounts of these communities for historical evidence of rice cultivation and varietal diversity.Results: Plots were farmed primarily by women and contained a broad range of different rice varieties. Naming and origin stories show a clear reference to the escape from plantations and the leading role of women in farming and food security. In some fields, a small patch was reserved for a rice type with very dark grains, used mostly for ritual purposes. Results also show adoption of more recently introduced rice varieties.Conclusion: Rice plays a key role in escape agriculture as practiced by Maroon communities in Suriname. Rice varieties are used as agricultural markers of difference. Agricultural techniques are inherently connected to social organization. Under colonialism, broadly understood as foreign powers suppressing (parts of) a local population, escape agriculture offers a way to avoid despotism by producing food and other produce in independent and sustainable ways. Crop diversity plays an important role in escape agriculture, demonstrated here by the variation of rice varieties on Maroon farms in Suriname. Histories of Maroon agricultural practices, and similarly marginalized groups in (formerly) colonized regions, are informative for current interventions in agriculture. Agronomic support to marginalized groups will only be successful when addressing historically grown social disengagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orseolia oryzivora is a major insect pest of rice in Burkina Faso. This study aimed at assessing the incidence of this pest on an integrated irrigated rice cropping system in Bama, western Burkina Faso. The work was carried out during two consecutive wet cropping seasons, 2020 and 2021. The experiment was conducted using a randomized split-plot design in a latice design. The main plots (MP) were divided into secondary plots, made up of a combination of two factors: two rice varieties (FKR64 and Orylux6) and four types of crop management before rice (Mucuna, cowpea forage, organic matter and a no-crop control); the third factor, mineral fertilization (F0, F1, F2, F3) was distributed in secondary plots (SP). Weekly entomological assessments were carried out from day 28 after transplanting (DAT) to DAT 84. Symptoms of O. oryzivora damage were assessed during the vegetative and reproductive phases of rice and examined in the laboratory. Results showed that all rice varieties were infested with O. oryzivora. The higher amount of NPK, the higher the damage caused by the insect pest. The FKR64 variety recorded the highest average rate of pre-imaginal O. oryzivora populations. The results of this study could contribute effectively to the sustainable management of O. oryzivora in Bama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the effect of gamma irradiation on the survivability of anther culture derived calli of Indica rice varieties. The study analyzes the variance in the survival rate of seed derived and anther derived calli rice upon various treatments of gamma irradiation. It observes the chromosomal damage and cell wall and cell membrane damage caused by gamma irradiation, as well as the inhibition of callus growth upon higher gamma irradiation doses.

The article identifies resources of resistance from rice germplasm against sheath rot disease under artificial epiphytotic conditions. The study screens and records the susceptibility of advanced generation genotypes of several rice varieties to sheath rot disease, as well as the incidence and severity of sheath rot disease at an experimental farm in Haryana, India.

Societal Impact Statement Agricultural techniques are inherently connected to social organization. Under colonialism, broadly understood as foreign powers suppressing (parts of) a local population, escape agriculture offers a way to avoid despotism by producing food and other produce in independent and sustainable ways. Crop diversity plays an important role in escape agriculture, demonstrated here by the variation of rice varieties on Maroon farms in Suriname. Histories of Maroon agricultural practices, and similarly marginalized groups in (formerly) colonized regions, are informative for current interventions in agriculture. Agronomic support to marginalized groups will only be successful when addressing historically grown social disengagement. Summary Rationale: Food is essential for successful marronage and produced by means of escape agriculture. Today, communities in the interior of Suriname continue to farm by following practices of escape agriculture. Our study traces the historical development of these farming practices, in particular the extensive cultivation of rice. Our aim is to show that the diversity of rice varieties used in their fields reveals the sophisticated farming techniques and social significance of escape agriculture. Methods: We visited about 60 farm plots upstream the main rivers of Suriname where we interviewed the person in charge about the rice varieties grown in their fields. We asked about origin, names, and characteristics of each rice variety. We also screened historical sources, primary and secondary, as well as anthropological accounts of these communities for historical evidence of rice cultivation and varietal diversity. Results: Plots were farmed primarily by women and contained a broad range of different rice varieties. Naming and origin stories show a clear reference to the escape from plantations and the leading role of women in farming and food security. In some fields, a small patch was reserved for a rice type with very dark grains, used mostly for ritual purposes. Results also show adoption of more recently introduced rice varieties. Conclusion: Rice plays a key role in escape agriculture as practiced by Maroon communities in Suriname. Rice varieties are used as agricultural markers of difference.

The need for rice commodity food will continue to increase in line with the increasing population and the high level of rice consumption for the Indonesian population. In Bali, the need for rice is not only to meet the population, but also the needs of tourists. Efforts to increase rice production have been made by intensification, accompanied by the use of superior varieties of rice seeds. However, the use of superior varieties of rice seeds is still very low. Therefore, it is important to look at the availability and demand for rice and identify types of rice varieties that suit farmers' preferences in an effort to increase rice production. The research was conducted using a survey method in three districts in Bali Province involving 65 groups/subaks and eight key informants. Secondary data was analyzed descriptive and primary data was analyzed using the exponential comparison method (MPE) with Eckenrode weighting. The research results show that the demand for rice in Bali cannot be met from its own production. Efforts are needed to increase rice production and productivity to meet the needs of the population, as well as paying attention to farmers' preferences regarding the superior varieties being developed. The farmers' preferred preferences of the 18 types of varieties planted are the highest rice varieties: Ciherang, Inpari 32 HDB, Cigeulis, Inpari 43 Agritan GSR and IR 64. These preferences are very useful for breeders and seed producers in producing future rice seeds for the Province Bali.

The article presents a study which characterized 25 traditional rice varieties for culinary quality and physico-chemical parameters in accordance with Standard Evaluation System for Rice (SES) of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Topics include list of rice landraces of Kashmir Valley, India used for grain and cooking quality characterization, physico-chemical traits, and cooking quality traits.

The article provides information on an experiment which evaluated the influence of organic and fertilizer nitrogen on grain yield, agronomic and economic efficiency of traditional rice varieties under Cauvery delta zone of Tamil Nadu. Topics discussed include calculation of agronomic efficiency, effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) practices on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency in traditional rice varieties, and economics of traditional rice varieties cultivation.

Rice consumption, particularly of highly processed white rice (WR), has been associated with increased risk of insulin resistance (IR). This study aimed to compare the impact of consuming WR versus brown rice (BR) from five common local rice varieties in Nigeria on the development of IR using a Wistar albino rat model. Five local rice cultivars (Jamila, Kwandala, MBC, Yarkatabore, Farar jalof) were collected, with one set kept unpolished (BR) and the other polished (WR). Proximate analysis and quantification of bioactive compounds (total phenols, flavonoids) were performed. Wistar albino rats were fed either a normal diet, high-fat diet, or diets containing 100% BR or WR for 12 weeks. Body weight, fasting blood glucose, glycogen, triglycerides were assessed. BR varieties had higher protein, fiber, and carbohydrate content compared to WR. BR also exhibited significantly greater total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Rats fed BR showed no significant weight gain (p<0.05), while some WR groups gained weight. Fasting blood glucose was elevated in WR groups versus control and BR groups. Blood glycogen was lower, and triglycerides higher, in certain WR groups. Consumption of BR varieties may confer protective effects against IR compared to WR in this rat model. These findings highlight the potential metabolic health benefits of incorporating local BR varieties into the diet to mitigate development of chronic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial panicle blight (BPB) is an emerging rice disease in Nigeria, causing up to 75% yield loss and widespread globally. In the 2019 season, rice farmers in Zamfara State's Gusau, Talata Mafara, Maradun, and Bakura communities reported significant yield declines due to an unidentified disease. Infected samples suggested BPB as the cause, yet the pathogen had not been identified in Nigeria. A trial was conducted to identify and characterize BPB pathogens in Zamfara State, aiming to screen rice germplasm and find resistant sources. Infected rice grains from the region were collected and cultured on King's B medium at 37°C for 48 hours in the microbiology lab of Federal University Gusau. The bacteria were purified to single colonies and analyzed morphologically and via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), identifying the strain as Burkholderia glumae. This strain produced toxoflavin, a compound linked to its pathogenicity. PCR amplification of a 1079- bp fragment using gyrB-specific primers confirmed B. glumae as the BPB agent in Nigeria. A pathogenicity test was performed on three commercial rice varieties (Faro 44, FARO 56, and FARO 59) using the syringe inoculation method at the Biological Garden, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University Gusau. All inoculated rice varieties exhibited typical BPB symptoms within three days, similar to those seen in naturally infected rice panicles. This confirmed B. glumae as the causative pathogen and highlighted the urgent need for resistant rice varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored the contamination of heavy metals in the paddy fields of Kashmore district treated with synthetic fertilizer and mixed fertilizer, based on the route of input (irrigation water, fertilization, atmospheric precipitation) and output fluxes (surface runoff, water leaching, and crop biomass). The soil and irrigation water quality of selected paddy fields treated with synthetic fertilizer and mixed fertilizer was also examined according to the standard protocol. Moreover, the measurement of heavy metals in soil, input and output was done by atomic absorption spectrometry. The principal component analysis data indicated that the paddy field-5 and paddy field-6 soils treated with synthetic fertilizer and paddy field-5 soils treated with mixed fertilizer showed high distribution scores for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals. The bioaccumulation and translocation of heavy metals in the studied paddy field indicated that the soils and irrigation water of paddy fields treated with synthetic fertilizer and mixed fertilizer are suitable for rice cultivation. The elevated levels of heavy metals in soils treated with mixed fertilizer might be due to heavy metals contamination in irrigation water, synthetic fertilizers, and livestock manures. The experimental data showed an insignificant difference in heavy metal contents in different parts of all paddy fields (p < 0.05). The atmospheric deposition is a significant input contributor of heavy metals in contamination in paddy fields. The rice straw uptake is a prime source of heavy metals in paddy fields, but their removal may efficiently decrease the intake of heavy metals from studied paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma has become one of the most studied filamentous fungi to be used as a greener and more sustainable solution for improving the production and growth of numerous crops, due to its capability to form symbiotic associations with plants. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Trichoderma isolates obtained from the rhizosphere of organic rice fields in Sukabumi, Indonesia, in enhancing rice germination and seedling growth. A laboratory experiment used a completely randomized design consisting of seed treatments of 21 Trichoderma isolates (T1-T21) and a control treatment without Trichoderma (C). The inoculation was employed to elucidate any potential effects of Trichoderma isolates. Results showed that five isolates, i.e., T5, T7, T9, T10, and T14 stimulated the highest seedling vigor index, root and shoot length, and fresh weight and dry weight. These findings exhibited the potential of these five isolates as plant growth-promoting fungi to improve rice seedling growth and contribute to our understanding of the role of symbiotic fungi in sustainable rice crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of rice are among the most important parameters for designing and development of a rice milling machine, destoning machine as well as materials handling. The objective of the study was to determine the mechanical (angle of sliding and internal frictions) properties of (FARO 44 and FARO 57) paddy and dehusked at three different moisture content (5, 10 and 15%) moisture content dry basis. These properties were determined using Funnel and Baker technique and shear box apparatus respectively. The results showed that, angles of internal friction were at least 15.2°, on the average within the moisture ranges tested however, 35° angles were also obtained. Angles of sliding friction ranged between 40° - 50°. This study concludes that moisture content and variety affect the engineering property; angle of internal friction is useful in the determination of lateral and horizontal stress in the silo for grain storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvement of nutrient-use efficiency (NUE) in rice is important for increasing productivity. Rice varieties with tolerance to phosphorus (P) deficiency increase the productivity in P-deficient fields. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop high yielding, P-deficiency tolerant rice varieties to enhance the NUE. High yielding and popular rice varieties (Bg300 and Bg94-1) and known P-deficiency tolerant rice varieties (H4 and At353) were used as female and male parents, respectively, in a crossing program. Single seed descent approach was used for rapid generation advancement. Bg300/At353 and Bg94-1/H4 crosses were advanced from F2 to F6 in planthouse condition under minimum fertigation for restricted growth. In F7 generation, 310 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) in both crosses were space-planted and 40 RILs were selected from each cross. Selected RILs were screened in a hydroponic system at 10 µM P level to select the best lines for P-deficiency tolerance. Multiple plant traits were used for selection and the most promising 20 rice lines were selected as the best performers under P-deficient hydroponic conditions. Marker assisted selection was carried out to confirm the presence of PSTOL1 gene. Selected rice lines were evaluated for agronomic traits and yield parameters. Ten promising rice lines were identified as high yielding lines with accepted agronomic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nineteen globally diverse rice cultivars were analyzed for various chemical parameters important to malting, including germination energy, protein, apparent amylose content, and gelatinization temperatures (GT). The rice cultivars were then malted, and congress mashes were produced. Several parameters important to brewing were then assessed in the malts and worts (i.e., extract, soluble protein, free amino nitrogen (FAN), GT, etc.). The rice malts produced were saccharified to varying degrees, had high limit dextrinase activities, and contained sufficient FAN/protein concentrations. This suggests their potential to yield robust fermentations in beer styles with high adjunct inclusions without requiring additional nitrogen supplementation. Rice cultivars with purple-pigmented bran were found to yield unique wort colors and could serve as novel natural gluten-free colorants for future recipes. Overall, these findings suggest that malted rice could offer a more local and gluten-free source of starch for brewers and beverage/food producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences is the property of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Elucidating the genetic basis of natural variation in grain size and weight among rice varieties can help breeders develop high-yielding varieties. We identified a novel gene, GW3a (Grain Weight 3a) (LOC_Os03g27350), that affects rice grain size and weight. gw3a mutants showed higher total starch content and dry matter accumulation than the wild type (WT), Nipponbare, suggesting that GW3a negatively regulates grain size and weight. Moreover, our study found that GW3a interacted with OsATG8 by cleaving it, suggesting that GW3a may be involved in the assembly of autophagosomes and starch degradation in plants. The haplotype analysis of GW3a showed functional differences between indica and japonica rice. Taken together, we conclude that GW3a is expressed in the autophagosome pathway regulating starch metabolism in rice, affecting yield-related traits, such as grain size, grain weight and thousand grain weight (TGW). Our findings also shed new light on autophagy-mediated yield trait regulation, proposing a possible strategy for the genetic improvement of high-yield germplasm in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive dataset sourced from various markets across Bangladesh, highlighting 20 distinct rice varieties predominantly consumed locally. The dataset encompasses a diverse range of rice strains, including Subol Lota, Bashmoti (Deshi), Ganjiya, Shampakatari, Sugandhi Katarivog, BR-28, BR-29, Paijam, Bashful, Lal Aush, BR-Jirashail, Gutisharna, Birui, Najirshail, Pahari Birui, Polao (Katari), Polao (Chinigura), Amon, Shorna-5, and Lal Binni. Using a smartphone camera, low-resolution images capturing the essence of each rice variety were meticulously obtained, resulting in a total of 4,730 images with a non-uniform distribution. The dataset also includes augmented data, totaling 23,650 images. This precisely curated dataset holds significant promise and utility, showcasing diverse attributes, including the unique representation of 20 rice varieties, each characterized by distinct colors, sizes, and potential applications within the agricultural sector.

Research on the physicochemical properties of rice-derived endo-sperm high resistant starch (RS) with low amylose content (AC) is limited. In this study, we evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of such a starch variety and revealed that the starch granules exhibit a smoother, more refined surface with distinct edges, increased compactness, higher order of surface, and fewer cavities compared to those of a low RS rice variety. The starch crystal was classified as an A-type, which may be connected to the high amylose-lipid complex content. The branched internal long chains (B2 + B3) were abundant, allowing for easy entanglement with other molecular chains and a compact structure. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed the need for high temperature and energy to disrupt the double helix structure within the crystallization region of starch. Furthermore, starch viscosity analysis revealed a high cold paste viscosity, consistency, and setback value, with recrystallization yielding a stable structure, increased viscosity, and enhanced hydrolysis resistance to enzymes.

Abstract Rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée), is one of the most serious pests on rice. At present, chemical control is the main method for controlling this pest. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has non-target effects and may cause environmental pollution. Besides, leaf curling behavior by C. medinalis may indirectly reduce the efficacy of chemical spray. Therefore, it is crucial to cultivate efficient rice varieties resistant to this pest. Previous studies have found that three different rice varieties, Zhongzao39 (ZZ39), Xiushui134 (XS134), and Yongyou1540 (YY1540), had varying degrees of infestation by C. medinalis. However, it is currently unclear whether the reason for this difference is related to the difference in defense ability of the three rice varieties against the infestation of C. medinalis. To explore this issue, the current study investigated the effects of three rice varieties on the growth performance and food utilization capability of the 4th instar C. medinalis. Further, it elucidated the differences in defense responses among different rice varieties based on the differences in leaf physiological and biochemical indicators and their impact on population occurrence. The results showed that the larval survival rate was the lowest, and the development period was significantly prolonged after feeding on YY1540. This was not related to the differences in leaf wax, pigments, and nutritional components among the three rice varieties nor to the feeding preferences of the larvae. The rate of superoxide anion production, hydrogen peroxide content, and the activity of three protective enzymes were negatively correlated with larval survival rate, and they all showed the highest in YY1540 leaves. Compared to other tested varieties, although the larvae feeding on YY1540 had higher conversion efficiency of ingested food and lower relative consumption rate, their relative growth was faster, indicating stronger food utilization capability. However, they had a lower accumulation of protein. This suggests that different rice varieties had different levels of oxidative stress after infestation by C. medinalis. The defense response of YY1540 was more intense, which was not conducive to the development of the larvae population. These results will provide new insights into the interaction mechanism between different rice varieties and C. medinalis and provide a theoretical basis for cultivating rice varieties resistant to this pest.

Refine current agricultural practices considering environmental changes are crucial for finding tolerant rice varieties that can meet the demands of human consumption. To this end, stability analysis assesses a crop genotype’s ability to adapt to various conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to (1) examine the interaction between rice genotypes and environmental conditions; (2) evaluate the stability of twelve rice genotypes using various stability methods; (3) identify representative environments for multi-environment testing; and (4) determine superior genotypes for specific environments. The evaluated rice cultivars were Sakha 101, Sakha 104, Sakha 105, Sakha 106, Sakha 107, Sakha 108, Giza 177, Giza 178, Giza 179, Giza 182, Egyptian Yasmine, and Sakha super 300. The experiment followed a strip-plot design, with three replications. The findings revealed significant differences among the rice varieties across various environments for the majority of the assessed characteristics. The joint regression analysis of variance demonstrated highly significant differences among rice cultivars for all the studied traits in terms of genotype-by-environment interaction (G × E). The statistical significance of the interaction between genetic and environmental factors was evident for all variables demonstrating heritable variation among the rice cultivars, specifically Sakha 108, Sakha 104, Giza 177, and Giza 178, concerning grain yield per feddan. These rice cultivars exhibited stability parameters that were not significantly different from unity for the regression coefficient (bi) and from zero for the deviations from regression (S2di) for those traits. Overall, stability criteria are essential for ensuring reliable rice production, meeting human consumption, advancing genetic improvement, and promoting environmental sustainability in agriculture.

Rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée), is one of the most serious pests on rice. At present, chemical control is the main method for controlling this pest. However, the indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides has non-target effects and may cause environmental pollution. Besides, leaf curling behavior by C. medinalis may indirectly reduce the efficacy of chemical spray. Therefore, it is crucial to cultivate efficient rice varieties resistant to this pest. Previous studies have found that three different rice varieties, Zhongzao39 (ZZ39), Xiushui134 (XS134), and Yongyou1540 (YY1540), had varying degrees of infestation by C. medinalis. However, it is currently unclear whether the reason for this difference is related to the difference in defense ability of the three rice varieties against the infestation of C. medinalis. To explore this issue, the current study investigated the effects of three rice varieties on the growth performance and food utilization capability of the 4th instar C. medinalis. Further, it elucidated the differences in defense responses among different rice varieties based on the differences in leaf physiological and biochemical indicators and their impact on population occurrence. The results showed that the larval survival rate was the lowest, and the development period was significantly prolonged after feeding on YY1540. This was not related to the differences in leaf wax, pigments, and nutritional components among the three rice varieties nor to the feeding preferences of the larvae. The rate of superoxide anion production, hydrogen peroxide content, and the activity of three protective enzymes were negatively correlated with larval survival rate, and they all showed the highest in YY1540 leaves. Compared to other tested varieties, although the larvae feeding on YY1540 had higher conversion efficiency of ingested food and lower relative consumption rate, their relative growth was faster, indicating stronger food utilization capability. However, they had a lower accumulation of protein. This suggests that different rice varieties had different levels of oxidative stress after infestation by C. medinalis. The defense response of YY1540 was more intense, which was not conducive to the development of the larvae population. These results will provide new insights into the interaction mechanism between different rice varieties and C. medinalis and provide a theoretical basis for cultivating rice varieties resistant to this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nilaparvata lugens, commonly known as the brown planthopper (BPH), transmits the Rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV) which severely affects rice plants. This study aimed to evaluate the resistance of six rice varieties to RRSV in South Sulawesi under greenhouse conditions. The stages of the study included the preparation of the inoculum source, seeding of rice seeds, rearing of BPH, transmission treatment, and observation of resistance response and symptom scoring based on IRRI (1996) in a greenhouse. Data analysis techniques using Duncan's 5% were also applied. The results showed that varieties Inpari 36, 37, TN1, Mekongga, Ciherang, and Tukad Unda exhibited differing resistance levels, with Tukad Unda showing the highest resistance. The disease incidence ranged from 63.33% to 100%, and disease intensity varied from 28.14% to 71.10%. These findings suggest that the selection of resistant varieties could significantly mitigate RRSV impact, highlighting the need for integrated pest management strategies in rice cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with other Asian Mega Deltas, the Ganges Delta, and its coastal zone, are attracting increased attention due to the threats posed by climate change and the extent of rural poverty, juxtaposed against the potential for systems intensification and improved livelihoods. While it is a salt-affected zone, the constraints to systems intensification are many and they often interact (drought-salinity, waterlogging-salinity, heat stress). Moreover, the expression and intensity of these constraints can change throughout the year, particularly during the dry/Rabi season, from year to year, and from location to location. Improved rice varieties that mature 10 to 15 days earlier and increase yield by 0.5-1 t ha-1 are a foundational change that enables cropping systems intensification in the coastal zone in the dry season. Sowing Rabi season crops earlier (before mid-December) increases their yield potential and decreases the risk associated with many constraints which intensify towards the end of the dry season (low solute potential, waterlogging and salinity, heat stress, storms). However, early sowing of Rabi season crops increases the risk of early waterlogging and that needs to be managed by drainage. Scarcity of freshwater continues to be a major constraint to dry season cropping. Short duration crops (e.g., vegetables, watermelon), water-saving technologies (e.g. mulch, drip irrigation) and restricted planting of dry-season Boro rice (to areas with adequate fresh water) are needed for resilience of the cropping systems intensification. Community-based management of water resources for both drainage and equitable allocation of freshwater needs to be part of intensification plans. Within the coastal zone, there is considerable diversity of land type, fresh water resource availability, and farm type which need to be recognized in scale-out programs. Disaster preparedness needs to be embedded in any scale-out plans for systems intensification since the risk of land and water salinization from storm surges is real and enduring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to provide an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector, map the distribution of greenhouse gas emissions, and formulate effective mitigation strategies in Minahasa District. Primary data on rice field types, land processing systems, and fertilizer doses were obtained from the respondents. The method is the interview, and the instrument is the questionnaire. Secondary data is in the form of planting area and emission factor data. Data processing uses the Tier-1 method to obtain the amount of CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. Spatial mapping of greenhouse gas emissions is done with the help of ArcMap. After that, the greenhouse gas mitigation strategy was formulated. Total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions: 3,578,093.27 t CO2-eq/y, consists of emissions CH4: 71,711.87 t CO2-eq/y; CO2 Fertilizer: 1,828,235.40 t/y; N20 Land Managed: 1,665,299.66 t CO2-eq/y; and emission N2O Indirect: 12,846.33 t CO2-eq/y. The largest gas emissions are CO2 (51.10 %) and N2O Land Managed (46.54 %). The largest GHG-contributing is West Langowan District (285,165.25 t CO2-eq/y). Various adaptation efforts are to adjust planting time and patterns and reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers. In contrast, mitigation efforts are implementing organic farming, regulating intermittent irrigation systems (dry and wet), using low-emission rice varieties, and utilizing soil improvement materials such as biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superior variety of rice with high yield and resistance to diseases is expected to meet the increasing demand for this one of the most important carbohydrate sources worldwide. Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the major biotic stresses limiting rice production. Combining BLB resistance and high-yield traits is possible through gene pyramiding. Introgression of targeted traits in the parental genotypes and hybridity confirmation in the F1 generation are important initial steps in gene pyramiding. This study aimed to confirm the presence of targeted genes in parent genotypes using specific molecular markers and to confirm the hybridity of F1 plants generated from three crosses combinations of Inpari 32 (as the female parent) and three Code-qTSN4 lines (as the male parents) using SSR markers. This study successfully confirmed the introgression of BLB-resistance genes in Inpari 32 (Xa4, Xa7, and Xa21) and in Code-qTSN4 (Xa4, Xa7). The introgression of yield-related QTL, qTSN4, was confirmed in the three Code-qTSN4 lines (A10-1, B12-2, and A16-5) by RM17483 marker. Five SSR markers (RM5, RM55, RM105, RM223, and RM561) successfully confirmed the hybridity of F1 derived from Inpari 32xA10- 1 (five individuals), Inpari 32xB12-2 (one individual), Inpari 32xA16-5 (two individuals). These confirmed hybrids can be further evaluated in the F2 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of dry land requires precise planning due to its climate-sensitive nature. It is essential to ensure water availability to meet crop water requirements. Rainwater harvesting remains underutilized in upland rice cultivation. The field experiment was conducted in Tulungagung Regency, East Java province, Indonesia from August to December 2017. The research aimed to develop water harvesting technology and irrigation management for upland rice. The nested design was the experimental design with irrigation levels and varieties of upland rice treatments. Four irrigation levels were farmer's customs, 70%, 85%, and 100% of the crop water requirement, while the varieties were Situ Patenggang, Inpago-9, and Inpago-11. Our findings revealed that 70% of the crop water requirement was sufficient for upland rice cultivation in dryland. Crop yields were unaffected by the irrigation level. Differences among upland rice varieties were only significant on plant height character. There was an increased cropping index due to additional water sources in the last months of the dry season until the early rainy season. Rainwater harvesting can be adapted to climate change, especially in areas that often experience water shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalase can decompose hydrogen peroxide in plants under controlled and stressed conditions. In a stressed environment, an increase in hydrogen peroxide production makes catalase activity a major defense system for plant growth. The current study was conducted to evaluate the catalase activity of the pre-isolated and identified bacterial strains Bacillus aryabhattai (AN30), Bacillus megaterium (AN24), Bacillus megaterium (AN31) and Bacillus megaterium (AN35) and their potential for rice seedling growth promotion. These strains were characterized for quantitative catalase, urease, siderophore and exopolysaccharide production using LB media. Subsequently, the effectiveness of these strains was checked by quantifying the catalase activity in the rhizosphere, roots and shoots of rice seedlings. The secretion of organic and phenolic compounds produced by the tested strains in liquid culture was also investigated. Plant growth parameters were also studied in a growth room trial. Our results showed that the strain AN24 showed the maximum catalase activity (1.36 mol cm−1), urease activity (1.35 mol cm−1) and exopolysaccharide (4.20 µg mL−1) and siderophore (2.32%) production in LB media. All tested strains showed significantly higher catalase activity in soil compared to the control. Among sole applications, strain AN24 showed better results; however, the consortium application of strains AN24 + AN30 + AN35 + AN31 showed the maximum improvement in dry biomass, shoot and root length, and increase in catalase activity of rice seedlings. The results showed that a consortium of these Bacillus strains with catalase activity has greater potential to enhance the antioxidant defense system and growth promotion of rice seedlings. However, further experimentation under natural conditions is required before using these strains as potential bioinoculants for improving rice growth and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a primary energy food for the Asian population. One of the greatest constraints in rice production is soil salinity because rice is very susceptible to salt. Meanwhile, many agricultural lands in Asia are in saline areas. It is important to identify and develop salt-tolerant rice varieties that highly adapt to Asian climates. By combining morphological, physiological, and biochemical assessments for screening the salt tolerance of 116 Asian rice cultivars, we were able to classify them into tolerant, moderate, and sensitive rice cultivars under salinity stress conditions and also understand salt tolerance mechanisms. The rice cultivars that are salt-tolerant include Pokkali from India, TCCP 266 and IR 45427 from the Philippines, and Namyang 7 from Republic of Korea. However, salt-sensitive rice varieties like IR29 and IR58 are from the Philippines, and Daegudo and Guweoldo are from Korea. The salt-tolerant varieties showed signs of tolerance, including a lower percent reduction in germination percentage, root length, root fresh weight, shoot length, plant biomass, and chlorophyll content. In order to maintain the cellular osmotic balance under saline conditions, the salt-tolerant varieties exhibited less membrane damage, a lower Na/K ratio, high proline and sugar accumulation, and lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Pokkali from India, TCCP 266 and IR 45427 from the Philippines, and Namyang 7 from Republic of Korea are recommended as valuable germplasm resources for Asian rice breeding programs in saline agricultural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice stands as a critical cornerstone in the pursuit of food security due to its unparalleled significance as a staple crop for billions of people worldwide. Rice in India, is cultivated within diverse cropping systems that harness the nation's rich agro-climatic variations. Eastern India has emerged as a significant contributor to the country's overall rice production. Nevertheless, most of the existing cropping systems of rice in this region suffer from some drawbacks, primarily due to monoculture practices and limited crop diversity. An experiment was conducted in the Eastern Indian State of Odisha to evaluate the efficiency and profitability of promoting a rice-green gram-rice cropping system. The experiment consists of two major interrelated interventions viz., awareness regarding short-duration stress-tolerant rice varieties (STRV) and the introduction of the new crop for higher economic returns. Varietal awareness programs were organized before the onset of the wet season of 2020 and the potential benefits of cultivating STRV over the popular traditional cultivars were communicated to the target farmers, besides advocating the rice-green gram-rice cropping system. The study employed a field experiment design to compare the performance of existing and new cropping systems. The impact evaluation was carried out after recording the comments of the farmers followed by a thorough comparison between the new and existing cropping systems. The available evidence suggests that the introduced short-duration STRVs are better than the already existing varieties and have the potential to change the cropping system of the region. The most desirable trait of these varieties as reported by the farmers is their short maturity duration. The results do unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of the new cropping system over the existing system in terms of crop yield, diversification, and profitability. This remarkably underscores the potential of the new system to address food security challenges and enhance agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical properties of rice are among the most important parameters for design of agricultural machine and other equipment for handling, planting, harvesting, processing, packaging and storing. This work is aimed at the determination of some of the physical properties of two varieties of rice at varying moisture content that are important in designing rice handling machine. The physical properties of two most popular produced rice varieties in Nigeria (FARO 44 and FARO 57) both paddy and dehusked at three different moisture content (5, 10 and 15%) were determined. Laboratory studies were carried out to determined physical properties of the two varieties of rice ((FARO 44 and FARO 57) important properties for the laboratory work includes: bulk density, unit density, roundness, axial dimensions, sphericity, projected areas, unit volume, unit weight, apparent density, were determined based on different moisture content and random sampling techniques. The results showed that minimum lengths of dehusked rice ranged from 4.57 - 5.29 mm while maximum lengths were between 8.21 - 8.25 mm. For paddy these lengths were minimally 7.65 - 8.78 mm and maximum lengths were 11.39 mm. The least range of minor diameters of dehusked rice was 4.57 - 5.29 mm and maximally these were 8.21 - 8.25 mm. Intermediate diameters were minimally 1.43 mm and maximally in the range of 2.71 - 2.78 mm for dehusked rice; for paddy these were 1.65 - 1.76 mm and 2.46 - 2.78 mm, respectively. Geometric mean diameters ranged between 3.31 - 4.05 mm. For paddy, projected area obtained within the range of 11.71 - 29.75 mm². For dehusked rice, projected area obtained in the range of 8.79 - 21.19 mm². Estimates of roundness were not higher than 33.6% for paddy or 54% for some grains of dehusked rice. The grains appeared more spherical than they were round since paddy were 35.3 - 48.3% spherical while dehusked grains were 39.8 - 59.4% spherical. Bulk densities ranged between 531.0 - 553.8 kg/m³ and 839.6 - 852.7 kg/m³ for dehusked forms of Faro 44 and Faro 57, respectively. True density was in the range of 1071.6 - 1566.2 kg/m³. This study concludes that moisture content and variety affect the engineering property and is useful in the design, development of machine for processing and handling of rice products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Historia Agraria is the property of Historia Agraria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the principal staple food, a fundamental component of food security, a significant source of energy and major nutrients, and a key player in the overall nutritional status in Bangladesh. Parboiling is a common rice-processing treatment in Bangladesh. Recently, polishing has also become a common practice among millers seeking to attract consumers. Polishing may influence the nutrient composition of rice. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of parboiling and polishing on the nutritional content of the five High Yield Varieties (HYVs) of rice (BR11, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan49, and BRRI dhan84) and their percent contributions to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. All of the rice samples were analyzed for proximate parameters, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, and folate), and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Na, K, P). Moisture, ash, fat, and total dietary fiber (TDF) were determined gravimetrically, according to the AOAC Official Methods; protein was measured by the Kjeldahl method; B-group vitamins were measured using Ultra Pressure Liquid Chromatography; and mineral content was determined by ICP-OES. The energy, protein, fat, and total dietary fiber (TDF) content of the samples ranged between 342–357 kcal/100 g, 6.79–10.74 g/100 g, 0.31–1.69 g/100 g, and 2.59–3.92 g/100 g respectively. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxin, and folate content ranged from 0.11–0.25 mg/100 g, 0.01–0.05 mg/100 g, 2.82–6.42 mg/100 g, 0.12–0.30 g/100 g, and 5.40–23.95 g/100 g respectively. In a comparison of parboiling and polishing, macronutrients and vitamin retention were higher in parboiled unpolished rice than in polished unparboiled rice. The minerals (mg/100 g) Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Na, K, and P were in the ranges 32.82–44.72, 30.69–58.34, 0.51–0.70,1.83–2.79, 5.00–5.36, 106.49–112.73, and 162.23–298.03. Minerals of BRRI dhan84 were unaffected by polishing and parboiling. BRRI dhan84 contributed a higher percentage of RDA of all B vitamins and minerals. Therefore, to reduce nutrient loss in rice, industries and consumers should be encouraged to avoid polishing or limit polishing to 10% DOM and to consume unpolished rice, either parboiled or unparboiled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the fundamental food items that comes in many varieties with their associated benefits. It can be sub-categorized based on its visual features like texture, color, and shape. Using these features, the automatic classification of rice varieties has been studied using various machine learning approaches for marketing and industrial use. Due to the outstanding performance of deep learning, several models have been proposed to assist in vision tasks like classification and detection. Regardless of their best results on accuracy metrics, they have been observed as overly excessive for computational resources and expert supervision. To address these challenges, this paper proposes three deep learning models that offer similar performance with 10% lighter computational overhead in comparison to existing best models. Moreover, they have been trained for end-to-end flow to demonstrate minimum expert supervision for pre-processing and feature engineering sub-tasks. The results can be observed as promising for classifying rice among five varieties, namely Arborio, Basmati, Ipsala, Jasmine, and Karacadag. The process and performance of the trained models can be extended for edge and mobile devices for field-specific tasks autonomously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited Nitrogen availability in most Nigerian soils is why poor rice yields are observed. The cost of inorganic fertilizers, especially in the post-COVID-19 era, tends to increase. Systems of Rice Intensification (SRI) principles utilize integrated nutrient management systems for growing lowland rice in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change. This study focused on evaluating the effects of six different nutrient source combinations on the development of NERICA (New Rice for Africa) L-34 and ARICA (Advanced Rice Varieties for Africa) 3 in Abeokuta Nigeria, between the years of 2017 and 2019. The treatment arrangements were split-plot, randomized complete block design, and triple replication. The nutrient sources and varieties were allocated a subplot and the main plot. The data pertaining to rice yield and its constituent parts were subjected to a two-way Analysis of Variance. In 2017, NERICA L-34 outperformed ARICA 3 in terms of grain yield. The longest panicle, heaviest panicle, and largest grain yield in 2018 were generated by combining 25 kg N per hectare (inorganic) and 75 kg N per hectare (organic). The most grains per panicle were observed by combining 25 kg N per hectare (inorganic) and 75 kg N per hectare (organic). The study concluded that enhancing the 1000 grain-weight and grain yield of ARICA 3 and NERICA L-34 by combining 25 kg N per hectare (inorganic) and 75 kg N per hectare (organic) is advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Background and Objective】 The decrease in available water resources for agriculture in the South of China has made developing water-saving irrigation essential for rice production. This paper investigates the impact of an improved irrigation method on growth and water use of conventional rice and hybrid rice. 【Method】 The experiments were conducted from 2018 to 2020 in plots within a paddy field in the Irrigation Experimental Station of Jiaxing Pinghu in Zhejiang province. The rice varieties Xiushui 134 (conventional) and Yongyou 9 (hybrid) were used as the model plants. They were irrigated by conventional flooding irrigation and thin-water film irrigation by keeping the topsoil just saturated. In each treatment, we measured the leaf area index, total dry matter, root growth, grain yield, and water demand and consumption of each rice variety. 【Result】 Water demand and consumption of both rice varieties under thin-water film irrigation were lower than that under flooding irrigation (P0.05). Compared with conventional flooding irrigation, thin-water film irrigation reduced average daily water consumption by 22.6%~59.5%, with the hybrid rice consuming 1.3%~3.0% more water than the conventional variety. Compared with flooding irrigation, thin-water film irrigation increased average rice yield by 1.7%, especially the hybrid variety whose yield was 31.9% higher than that of the conventional variety. Thin-water film irrigation reduced water consumption by 30.1%~35.0%, in addition to its significant increase in WUEI and WUEET. Due to the difference in yield between the two varieties, there was an interactive effect between the irrigation method and rice variety, with their WUEI, WUEP and WUEET differing significantly. 【Conclusion】 The thin water-film irrigation was effective to increase the development of leaf area and dry matter accumulation, especially for the hybrid variety. Water demand and consumption of both varieties were affected not only by annual precipitation and evaporation, but also by irrigation method, though no significant difference was found between the two varieties.

Rice crop is essential in a country. Still, the production and productivity are low due to uncovering a suitable area for rice production and the shortage of improved and unedited well-adapted variety. To solve this problem, the study was conducted in Dasenech district during (2020/21 and 2021/22) cropping seasons to select well-adapted varieties. The study contains 6 varieties (Gode, Shebele, Chewaqa, Kallafo, Nerica-15, and Pawe-2). For this study used a randomized complete block design with three replications. Yield and other trait data were collected and subjected to analysis of variance. The result of the analysis of variance showed that all parameters were significantly affected among tested rice varieties. The Pawe-2 variety gave the highest grain production (6284.7 kg ha-1) among the tested varieties. Based on the study result, it can be suggested that variety Pawe-2 perform well and is suitable for agro-pastoral in the Dasenech area under irrigation condition and its similar agro-ecology.

AbstractSSR (simple sequence repeat) is a common molecular marker widely used in the analysis of rice genome and genetic variation research. While there have been some reports on factors affecting the quality of SSR molecular detection, no one has comprehensively explained these factors to date. Therefore, this study explores in detail the effects of electrophoresis buffer, electrophoresis time, and annealing temperature on the quality of SSR molecular detection in rice varieties. The results show that freshly prepared electrophoresis buffer, appropriate electrophoresis time, and suitable annealing temperature can improve the quality of SSR molecular detection in rice varieties and provide important technical support for in-depth research on the rice genome. Moreover, it is recommended that laboratories select and combine the aforementioned optimal experimental conditions to enhance the authenticity of rice varieties and improve the accuracy of molecular detection for purity.

Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) is the selection by stakeholders of varieties in advanced testing stages by plant breeding programs. With Burundi as a case example, this study incorporated qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) into the quantitative PVS structure so as to elicit deeper insights into rice trait preferences and illuminate broader issues affecting rice farmers. During two consecutive years, this study surveyed 174 participants across six stakeholder groups (administrators, farmers, custom millers, researchers, seed producers, and traders) in three locations. There were statistically significant associations in rice trait preferences across locations, participating stakeholders, and genders, highlighting preference alignment. Moreover, multiple traits were desired simultaneously, beyond productivity-related traits, and sometimes contradicting researchers' preferences, especially in rainfed systems. By moving beyond quantitative PVS preference scores as being the only way of gathering trait preference data, this study has shown how the incorporation of qualitative FGDs into the PVS structure can elicit deeper insights on trait preferences and illuminate broader issues affecting rice farmers, which when solved can accelerate the momentum in widespread adoption of new rice varieties. Plain Language Summary: Eliciting rice varietal preferences in Burundi The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the power of pairing quantitative with qualitative data collection methods to elicit rice varietal preferences in Burundi. By combining FGDs with PVS, we show the multiple traits desired, beyond production-related traits, and sometimes contradicting breeders' preferences. With the key limitation and areas for improvement hinging on the need for more robust quantitative PVS that goes beyond binary scores as well as the need for more time-efficient FGDs by use of local language that reduces translation times, it is more feasible to move beyond quantitative PVS preference scores as being the only way of gathering trait preference data. This study has shown how the incorporation of qualitative FGDs into the PVS structure can elicit deeper insights on trait preferences and illuminate broader issues affecting rice farmers, which when solved can accelerate the momentum in widespread adoption of new rice varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognized that the value of rice in the market is highly depends on its variety, with some varieties commanding significantly higher prices than others. Unfortunately, this has led to a situation where unscrupulous vendors may attempt to pass off inferior or lower-value rice varieties as more valuable ones. This urgently requires a reliable and efficient methods for accurately detecting and identifying different rice varieties. The use of near-infrared spectroscopy and deep learning for rice variety detection is an important research direction in this field. The establishment of an accurate detection model depends on a large-scale sample data, however, the process of collecting and preprocessing samples is very timeconsuming, which limits the improvement of accuracy. To address the aforementioned needs and limitations, this paper proposes a rice variety detection method based on near-infrared spectroscopy combined with an improved deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN) for data augmentation. Based on the classical deep convolution generative adversarial neural network, the network increases the number of convolution layers and adjusts the network structure. Subsequent experiments showed that the network has better generation ability. In this study, we selected four rice varieties, namely Wuchang, Xiangshui, Yinshui, and Yueguang, and collected 80 samples for each variety, amounting to a total of 320 rice powder samples as experimental samples. Firstly, we collected near-infrared spectra of the samples and preprocessed the raw spectral data by applying detrend correction (DC) and uninformative variable elimination (UVE) algorithms to eliminate irrelevant spectral features. Then, we established an improved DCGAN model to augment the preprocessed spectral data. Three traditional data enhancement methods, random left and right translation, superimposed Gaussian noise and translation noise, were used for comparison. Comparative experiments demonstrated that the spectral data generated by the improved DCGAN showed significant superiority in terms of structural similarity compared to traditional data augmentation methods. Finally, we investigated different data augmentation methods combined with different classification methods to establish a rice variety classification model. We employed five classifiers, namely partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), and combined them with four data augmentation methods to build the rice variety classification model. The results showed that the model built using DCGAN-augmented data achieved the highest accuracy on the test set, the accuracy rate was 98.21%. Through quantitative analysis of the models built using DCGAN combined with the five classifiers, it was found that the variety detection model established by DCGAN-1D-CNN method performed the best on the test set, with a coefficient of determination R 2 of 0.992 2, mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.008 9, and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.050 5, indicating its optimal performance. Based on the comprehensive experimental results, the model established by combining the improved DCGAN data augmentation with the 1D-CNN classification algorithm exhibited the best performance in terms of accuracy on the test set, providing a new approach for convenient and accurate rice variety detection applications. By utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy and deep learning methods, combined with the improved DCGAN for data augmentation, we can enhance the accuracy and reliability of rice variety detection, thus meeting the market demand and consumer expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice–fish co-cultures have been practiced for over 2000 years, and they have tremendous potential in terms of increasing food security and economic benefits. However, little research has been conducted into achieving stable yields and high lodging resistance with regard to rice while simultaneously promoting the harmonious and healthy growth of fish in rice–fish co-culture paddy fields. We conducted a field study aimed at selecting suitable rice varieties for rice–fish co-culture systems (encompassing both ratoon and main crop). This selection process was grounded in an evaluation of lodging resistance and grain yield among 33 rice varieties used throughout the studied region. The results revealed a range of lodging indices of the main crop for the second internode, spanning from 62.43 to 138.75, and the annual grain yield (main crop and ratoon crop) ranged from 7.17 to 13.10 t ha−1 within rice–fish co-culture systems. We found that the use of rice–fish co-culture farming could improve the milling quality, nutrient quality, and appearance quality of rice, though the improvement gained through co-culturing varied across rice varieties. Moreover, the lodging index of the three basal internodes of rice plants was significantly and positively correlated with the plant height and the culm fresh weight, but it was negatively correlated with the bending strength of the rice basal internodes. Additionally, the 33 tested rice varieties were clustered in accordance with their lodging resistance (i.e., high resistance with lodging indices 62.43–75.42; medium resistance with lodging indices 80.57–104.62; and low resistance with lodging indices 113.02–138.75) according to the hierarchical cluster analysis. The 33 rice varieties were also clustered in accordance with the annual (main crop and ratoon crop) grain yield (i.e., high yield with 11.17–13.10 t ha−1; medium yield with 10.15–10.83 t ha−1; and low yield with 7.16–9.88 t ha−1). In all, 11 rice varieties were identified by a comprehensive evaluation as suitable varieties for grain production in the rice–fish co-culture system. These varieties displayed favorable traits, including a high annual rice yield, strong lodging resistance, and good grain quality. This is the first study to systematically evaluate rice varieties based on grain yield, lodging resistance, and grain quality in rice–fish co-culture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research centers around ST25, a recently acclaimed rice variety lauded as Vietnam's premier offering. However, its ability to substantiate its origin is impeded by the rampant proliferation of counterfeit derivatives within the market. A distinctive methodology is posited herein, intertwining the attributes of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses, augmented using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The primary objective is to meticulously ascertain the unadulterated geographic provenance of the ST25 rice cultivar. The findings unequivocally underscore the emergence of a conspicuous taxonomy within the ST25 rice samples sourced from Soc Trang, underpinned by the utilization of both FTIR and ICP-MS datasets. Remarkably, the discernment of eight elemental constituents (27Al, 59Co, 44Ca, 57Fe, 60Ni, 63Cu, 93Nb, and 98Mo) has been adjudicated as pivotal in ascribing geospatial classification. The ramifications of this proposed modality encompass not only the authentication of the subject rice variety but also extend to the validation of similar grain types. Functioning as a potent deterrent against the omnipresent specter of food counterfeiting within the market milieu, this methodology occupies a pivotal niche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is an important dietary source of the toxic mineral cadmium (Cd) for populations in which rice is the main staple food. When grown in agricultural soils that are contaminated with Cd, rice often accumulates excessive Cd into the grains, which is a serious threat to agricultural sustainability and human health. To limit Cd accumulation in rice grains, studies on the genetic basis of Cd accumulation in rice have been carried out extensively, and some low-Cd rice varieties have also been developed in recent years. However, the challenges in low-Cd rice breeding still exist because the outcomes of the current genetic improvements for low-Cd rice cannot fully meet the requirements for the development of Cd-safe rice at present. In this review, we outline the progress in understanding the physiological mechanisms and the genetic nature of Cd accumulation in rice and summarize the strategies and outcomes of low-Cd rice breeding over the past decade. By graphing the physiological mechanism of Cd transport in the rice plant, three key steps and some underlying genes are summarized and discussed. Also, two genetic features of the natural variation in rice grain-Cd accumulation, the phenotypic plasticity and subspecies divergence, and the potential genetic explanations for these features are also discussed. Finally, we summarize and discuss current progress and the potential issues in low-Cd rice breeding using different breeding strategies. We hope to propose strategies for future success in the breeding of low-Cd rice varieties over the next decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nineteen globally diverse rice cultivars were analyzed for various chemical parameters important to malting, including germination energy, protein, apparent amylose content, and gelatinization temperatures (GT). The rice cultivars were then malted, and congress mashes were produced. Several parameters important to brewing were then assessed in the malts and worts (i.e., extract, soluble protein, free amino nitrogen (FAN), GT, etc.). The rice malts produced were saccharified to varying degrees, had high limit dextrinase activities, and contained sufficient FAN/protein concentrations. This suggests their potential to yield robust fermentations in beer styles with high adjunct inclusions without requiring additional nitrogen supplementation. Rice cultivars with purple-pigmented bran were found to yield unique wort colors and could serve as novel natural gluten-free colorants for future recipes. Overall, these findings suggest that malted rice could offer a more local and gluten-free source of starch for brewers and beverage/food producers.