Pest science and management

Phenotypic diversity in grain yield and nutritional

traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.)
S. Singh, S. Mishra, and K. Kalpana, Division of Environmental Sciences, Indian Agricultural
Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
E-mail: sdsingh14d@yahoo.co.uk

Phenotypic diversity in a crop species shows the range of variation in different

traits, which could be used to develop varieties with desirable characteristics. An
evaluation of rice germplasm, collected from different agroclimatic regions and
possessing varying desirable traits, is thus required to identify phenotypes with
specific traits for subsequent use in breeding to further improve productivity and
nutritional quality of promising rice cultivars. The objective of this study was to
assess the degree of phenotypic variation in quantitative characters of rice
germplasm for further use in crop improvement, especially for micronutrient
enrichment of grain.
Thirty-day-old seedlings of 25 different rice phenotypes, including high-
yielding semidwarf traditional tall cultivars, and landraces, were transplanted in
rice fields at the Research Farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute
during the 2006 wet season using a randomized block design with three
replications. Various growth and yield parameters and yield components were
determined following the sun drying of harvested plant samples (around 12–15%
moisture content). The dried rough rice samples were dehulled properly using a
laboratory dehuller and the quality characteristics of the kernel were evaluated.
Protein content was determined from % Kjeldahl nitrogen multiplied by 5.95.
Sugar and starch were analyzed by the anthrone method. Macro- and
micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and copper
were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry and colorimetry following
standard methodologies (Yoshida et al 1976). The amylose content in dehulled
grains was determined by iodine binding method following Sadasivam and
Manickam (1997).
The data on yield and its attributes showed significant variations in
growth and yield (Table 1). Plant height varied from 70 to 190 cm. The number of
panicles m–2 was highest in Patharia brown and lowest in PR114. Total biomass
was found to be highest in the traditional tall phenotype Bajheri and lowest in
the semidwarf PR114. The number of spikelets panicle–1 was highest in Zeera 32
and lowest in Patharia black. MRGC-22 showed the highest number of grains

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panicle–1, whereas Patharia black and Shikhar had the lowest. Spikelet sterility
was shown to be highest in Shikhar and lowest in Pusa-44 and PR114. Patharia
black had the highest 1,000-grain weight and Zeera 32 the lowest. Grain yield of
Patharia brown was the highest, while that of Bajheri was the lowest. Harvest
index varied significantly, with Shikhar (5%) having the lowest and Pusa Basmati
1 (36%), the highest. The rice cultivars also showed marked differences in days to
flowering (77–130 d) and days to maturity (106–156 d). The longest days to
flowering and maturity were recorded in Bajheri, MRGC 22, Selection New 2,
and Haryana Basmati (>100 d to flowering and >150 d to maturity), while the
shortest days to flowering and maturity were noted in Kolambo.
The rice cultivars showed significant differences in both organic and
inorganic nutrient content in milled rice grain (Table 2). Total free sugar content
was highest in MRGC 22 and lowest in Selection 66. Starch content ranged from
54% in Santoor to 68% in Vazardhan. Amylose content ranged from 25% in
Selection 66 to 32% in Patharia brown. Protein content in dehulled rice grains of
different rice cultivars was recorded within the 9% (Patharia brown) to 13%
(Pusa Basmati 1) range. Iron content ranged from 17 ppm in Zeera 32 to 361 ppm
in MRGC 22, whereas zinc content varied from 64 ppm in Dular to 30 ppm in
Selection New 2. Calcium content was lowest in Basmati 1 and highest in
Shikhar. Magnesium content was recorded highest in Corit 2 (793 ppm) and
lowest in Patharia black (419 ppm). Manganese content was highest in Patharia
black (152 ppm) and lowest in Singer and Shikhar (16–21 ppm). The range in
copper content was 0–186 ppm, with Pusa Basmati 1 having the highest value.
This immense germplasm diversity in yield and nutritional traits offers a great
source of genes for several quantitative and qualitative characters, which could
be exploited for further development of rice cultivars with higher physical and
nutritional quality of rice grains.

References
Yoshida S, Forno DA, Cock JH, Gomez KA. 1976. Laboratory manual for physiological studies of
rice. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 72 p.
Sadasivam S, Manickam A. 1997. Biochemical methods. 2nd ed. New Delhi (India): New
Age International Publishers. 12 p.

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Table 1. Yield and yield attributes of different rice genotypes.

Plant Panicles Spikelets Grains Spikelet 1,000- Total Grain Harvest Days to Days to
Genotype
height m–2 (no.) panicle–1 panicle–1 sterility seed biomass yield index flowering maturity
(cm) (no.) (no.) (%) weight (g m–2) (g m–2) (%)
(g)
Patharia brown 150 340 80 48 40 21.7 1400 320 23 100 133
Jao 150 180 67 38 44 30.0 652 184 28 100 130
Singer 152 248 52 30 42 26.5 660 184 28 97 130
Santoor 140 180 79 33 59 22.1 1004 120 12 97 151
Hansraj 170 220 111 49 56 18.0 1254 216 17 106 143
Bajheri 190 276 110 56 49 15.1 1440 26 18 130 156
MRGC 22 90 200 124 75 39 13.6 824 246 30 128 155
Corit 2 85 195 84 31 64 19.0 520 124 24 94 130
Patharia black 104 210 38 16 57 31.4 904 188 21 90 115
Selection 38 82 235 55 39 29 20.7 620 192 31 100 133
Selection 66 95 200 75 30 60 16.8 832 104 13 110 155
Pusa 44 70 200 88 72 18 18.3 810 226 28 102 135
Haryana 80 180 73 40 45 22.7 534 134 25 110 150
Basmati
Dular 128 185 92 40 53 20.2 508 154 30 86 126
Vazardhan 140 245 82 48 42 23.0 780 272 34 100 133
Danger 155 340 69 33 52 23.6 1050 284 27 92 133
Pusa Basmati 1 92 170 74 46 40 27.0 580 204 36 97 134
P2512 110 160 84 61 28 25.0 682 230 34 96 133
Shikhar 150 185 113 15 86 14.7 1294 66 5 117 151
Zeera 32 148 280 146 68 54 10.0 1400 202 14 110 140
Basmati 5 100 305 76 45 41 24.0 996 230 31 97 135
Pakistan 150 235 90 67 25 18.0 700 178 24 102 140
Basmati 1
Selection New 2 125 180 130 65 50 17.2 1364 266 19 126 150
Kolambo 130 280 59 29 50 19.2 660 196 30 77 106
PR114 73 125 50 41 18 20.0 284 92 33 98 130
Mean 122 222 88 45 46 20.7 870 186 25 103 137
CD at 0.05% 15 35 11 12 15 6.5 140 32 11 14 20

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Table 2. Biochemical properties of different rice genotypes.

Genotype Protein Sugar Starch Amylose Micronutrient content in grain (ppm)

content content content content Fe Zn Ca Mg Mn Cu
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Patharia brown 9 4 61 32 26 50 961 720 66 3
Jao 9 4 61 29 56 49 996 555 97 0
Singer 9 3 65 28 41 35 1059 422 41 0
Santoor 12 4 54 32 71 46 926 622 16 0
Hansraj 9 5 57 28 85 45 760 537 42 0
Bajheri 10 5 62 26 115 50 697 593 31 54
MRGC 22 12 6 61 26 361 44 962 563 112 62
Corit 2 10 4 59 26 115 34 779 793 31 0
Patharia black 10 3 59 31 274 34 962 419 152 0
Selection 38 11 4 58 28 85 45 1029 600 71 0
Selection 66 12 2 58 25 144 51 466 705 46 183
Pusa 44 10 3 64 28 71 34 929 570 56 0
Haryana Basmati 12 5 61 28 56 37 963 737 56 0
Dular 10 3 64 27 261 64 930 547 31 83
Vazardhan 11 4 68 29 129 45 631 535 61 0
Danger 11 5 56 27 320 60 930 513 26 0
Pusa Basmati 1 13 6 61 25 144 51 465 708 46 186
P2512 9 6 59 25 56 35 1030 603 31 0
Shikhar 13 5 58 27 71 46 1130 586 21 0
Zeera 32 10 5 63 29 17 34 631 657 117 11
Basmati 5 11 5 59 29 41 35 1063 425 41 0
Pakistan Basmati 1 10 4 61 27 85 45 764 533 41 0
Selection New 2 11 4 61 30 115 30 963 674 82 0
Kolambo 10 4 59 29 27 50 963 725 66 4
PR114 11 5 61 29 41 36 831 533 61 0
Mean 11 4 60 28 112 43 873 595 58 23
CD at 0.05% 2.99 1.4 8.6 6.3 8.3 10 123 22.9 7.3 7.9

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