MSc

The experiment entitled ‘Evaluation of a Collection of Indica Rice Genotypes under Organic Management Adopting Farmer Participatory Evaluation Strategy’ was conducted in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kerala Agricultural University during 2013 - 2015. Field trials were laid out during rabi season in the field of a progressive organic rice farming group (Arayidam padasekharam) in Mayyil Panchayath of Kannur district, Kerala. The main objectives of the study were identification of rice genotypes suited for organic farming and the key organic varietal traits.
The materials comprised of 65 genotypes of rice conserved in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, which include 14 traditional genotypes of Kerala, a collection of 41 improved varieties developed for conventional rice farming, out of which 32 are of KAU, and 10 rice varieties/ cultures developed by Kerala Agricultural University adopting strategies of Organic Plant Breeding (OPB).
Out of 65 rice genotypes evaluated under organic management, ‘Anaswara’, the variety developed by KAU for conventional farming and Culture MK-157, the genotype developed based on strategies of Organic Plant Breeding (OPB) (it was released in the name ‘Jaiva’ in 2015 by KAU as the first organic rice variety) ranked first for grain yield and also showed tolerance to the major pests and diseases on visual observation. But in quality analysis, the variety ‘Jaiva’ ranked best for all the four quality parameters evaluated namely, volume expansion, kernel elongation ratio, alkali spreading value and sensory evaluation, whereas ‘Anaswara’ variety ranked only for kernel elongation ratio. Hence considering yield, quality and biotic stress tolerance together, ‘Jaiva’ variety can be ranked first.
Out of seven genotypes namely, ‘Aishwarya’, ‘Dhanu’, ‘Aruna’, ‘HariyanaBasmathi’, ‘Kanakom’, ‘Sagara’ and Culture MK-115, which ranked as second set with on par performance with respect to grain yield, the genotypes ‘Dhanu’, ‘Aishwarya’ and the flood tolerant pre-release organic Culture MK-115 showed top performance for various yield component traits, few cooking qualities, and pest and disease tolerance. Hence these three genotypes can also be considered for organic farming after ‘Jaiva’ and ‘Anaswara’.
Out of 99 varieties of KAU developed for conventional farming in ordinary wetland using chemical fertilizers, 32 varieties were evaluated under organic management in this study. Out of these, ‘Anaswara’ variety followed by ‘Dhanu’ and ‘Aishwarya’ can be considered for organic farming for the time being as per the suggestion of IFOAM that, till enough organic varieties are developed adopting Organic Plant Breeding(OPB) strategies, those varieties developed for conventional farming using chemical fertilizers but performs well under organic management can be considered. The remaining 67 varieties of KAU developed for conventional farming has to be tested under organic management which may be the future line of work.
Out of eighteen growth and yield parameters studied under organic management, four parameters namely, number of tillers plant-1 at harvest, number of productive tillers plant-1, number of grains panicle-1 and straw yield plant-1 showed both positive significant correlation and direct effect with grain yield plant-1. Hence these four characters can be considered as organic varietal yield component traits.
Based on variation, correlation and path analysis studies, the genotypes which can be selected as parents for various organic varietal yield component traits for future breeding programmes of organic variety development are given below. Parents for the straw yield plant-1 are ‘Kanakom’, ‘Dhanu’, ‘Anaswara’, ‘Jaiva’, Culture MK-115, ‘Makam’, ‘Remanika’, and ‘Vytilla-4’. Parents for the number of productive tillers plant-1 are ‘Badhra’, ‘Dhanu’, ‘Anaswara’ and ‘Makam’.
Parents for the number of tillers plant-1at harvest are ‘Dhanu’, ‘Badhra’, ‘Anaswara’, ‘Makam’, ‘Jaiva’, and ‘Remanika’ and parent for number of grains panicle-1 is ‘Mahsuri’.
Genotypes which can be selected as parents for important cooking quality characters which are considered as organic varietal traits are ‘CO-47’, ‘Jaiva’ and ‘Valankunhivithu’ for volume expansion and ‘Pusabasmathi’, ‘Jaiva’, ‘FL-478’, ‘Ezhome-1’, ‘Mahsuri’, ‘Gouri’, ‘Swarnaprabha’, ‘Dhanu’, ‘IR-28’, ‘Aasha’ and ‘Aishwarya’ for sensory evaluation like taste, texture, colour, aroma etc.
On the basis of visual observation of pests and diseases, the genotypes that can be selected as parents for tolerance to major pests, namely, stem borer, leaf roller and rice bug are Culture MK-115, ‘Anaswara’, ‘Dhanu’ and ‘Mahsuri’. The parents that can be selected for tolerance to major diseases namely, blast and sheath blight are ‘Jaiva’, ‘Kasthuri’, ‘Pusabasmathi’, ‘Anaswara’, ‘Ayirankana’ and ‘CO-47’.Validation through scientific screening is necessary.