Successfully propagated fragrant Basmati rice varieties

Associate Prof. Dr. Le Xuan Tham - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Nuclear Center (VN Atomic Energy Institute) has just announced the successful breeding results of Basmati aromatic rice variety in Soc Trang.

Left : Basmati mutant aromatic rice field M5 (fifth crop).Right: the usual short eight-aromatic rice of Vietnam and the long grain of Basmati mutant rice

That is the result of the research "Research and development of mutant aromatic pure rice lines" by Associate Prof. Dr. Le Xuan Tham was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2004. The subject is in the project VIE 5/015 - The project "Improving the quality and productivity of mutant aromatic rice" funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA for Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute.

In 2002, Basmati aromatic rice varieties began to be developed by the Ho Chi Minh City Nuclear Center from a Pakistan Basmati rice variety - a famous rice variety on the international market.

However, Basmati varieties received by the Ho Chi Minh City Nuclear Center are only local Indian and Basmati varieties with a yield of 2-3 tons / ha, usually only one crop per year, about 1 tree tall. 5-1,6 m and growth time is from 140-150 days / crop.

After combining radioactive treatment, Ho Chi Minh City Nuclear Center in conjunction with the Agricultural Extension Center of Soc Trang Province selects through the current generations that have reached the generation M8 ( 8 cases) purebred strain (rice variety no longer separates).

According to Associate Professor Dr. Le Xuan Tham, the characteristics of this mutant strain still retain the aroma of Basmati rice, which cannot be achieved by selective breeding. Especially, the growth time has been shortened to only 90 days (can be cultivated in three crops or two crops of one-color crop), the height of the tree is 90-95 cm, the seeds are long, beautiful, and productive. 2-2.5 times higher than the original.

Currently, this Basmati mutant rice has been approved by farmers and deployed about 50 hectares in Soc Trang Province and expanded to An Giang and Dong Nai Provinces.

Mutant Basmati seed rice propagated by HCMC Nuclear Center is currently priced at 5,000 VND / kg (the price of ordinary seed rice is 3,000 VND / kg).

Prof. Dr. Le Xuan Tham adds: "Characteristics of this mutant Basmati rice variety are very suitable for alum contaminated soil, saline in the Mekong River Delta. In addition, the characteristics against pests and diseases relatively good and superior to many other fragrant imported rice varieties ".

On June 30, the HCMC Nuclear Center Acceptance Council was chaired by Dr. Do Khac Thinh, who highly appreciated the results of the project. At the same time, the Council proposed to develop the project "Development of recognition of new rice varieties - expected in the period of 2007-2008".

Basmati mutant rice fields are deployed by farmers

According to Master Nguyen Thi Thu Hien - Deputy Director of the Agricultural Extension Center - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang Province, Basmati mutant rice has been enthusiastically supported by farmers and well adapted to the environment. school life.

Basmati mutant rice has three main advantages : shortening cultivation time (light weight), delicious quality (amylose content - starch substance is 19-21% too ideal for aromatic rice varieties), easy to cultivate. However, the mutant Basmati rice variety also has some disadvantages: it is easy to get brown backed rice plant hopper. However, this is also a common characteristic of aromatic rice varieties.

Also in the research program "Research on development of mutant aromatic pure rice lines" , some eight fragrant rice mutant lines were selected and tested in many provinces showed very positive results in many provinces and will be put into production in the near future.