Developing japonica rice for the tropical areas
RDA Administrator Dr. Jae-Soo Kim (
and IRRI Director General Dr. Robert Zeigler Korea
signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the two institutions' continued collaboration
and its subsequent 2010 -11 work plan.
Introduction about japonica rice
Rice belongs to the genus Oryza and has two cultivated and 22 wild species. The cultivated species are Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima. Oryza sativa is grown all over the world while Oryza glaberrima has been cultivated in
West Africa for the last
Rice is grown under many different conditions and production systems, but submerged in water is the most common method used worldwide. Rice is the only cereal crop that can grow for long periods of time in standing water.
About 57% of rice is grown on irrigated land, 25% on rainfed lowland, 10% on the uplands, 6% in deepwater, and 2% in tidal wetlands .
Oryza sativa, commonly known as Asian rice, is the plant species most commonly referred to in English as rice. Oryza sativa is the cereal with the smallest genome, consisting of just 430 Mb across 12 chromosomes. It is renowned for being easy to genetically modify, and is a model organism for cereal biology.
Oryza sativa contains two major subspecies: the sticky, short grained japonica or sinica variety, and the nonsticky, long-grained indica variety. Japonica varieties are usually cultivated in dry fields, in temperate East Asia, upland areas of Southeast Asia and high elevations in South Asia, while indica varieties are mainly lowland rices, grown mostly submerged, throughout tropical
Mainstream archaeological evidence derived from palaeoethnobotanical investigations indicate dry-land rice was introduced to
Korea and some time between 3500 and 1200 BC.
The cultivation of rice in Japan Korea
during that time occurred on a small-scale, fields were impermanent plots, and
evidence shows that in some cases domesticated and wild grains were planted together.
The technological, subsistence, and social impact of rice and grain cultivation
is not evident in archaeological data until after 1500 BC. For example,
intensive wet-paddy rice
agriculture was introduced into Korea shortly before or during the Middle Mumun Pottery Period (c. 850–550 BC) and reached Japan by
the final Jōmon or initial Yayoi periods c. 300 BC. Japan
Japanese rice not only be in Japan
Japanese rice is commonly called for japonica rice varieties that are now planted in the northeast
and some areas in Europe and North America.
This is a short-grain variety of rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica) which
is characterized by its unique stickiness and texture.It also comes in a
variety called mochigome (sticky rice) which is used for making mochi. Rice begins as brown rice, genmai , which may then be polished by a machine (seimaiki), in which case
it is sold as ready-polished or white rice, hakumai .
Sprouted brown rice hatsuga genmai is also sold in smaller quantities. It has a softer texture than brown rice and a pleasant fragrance, yet retains the health benefits of brown rice. Most supermarkets in
sell ready-polished rice in 10 kg, 5 kg, and smaller bags. Brown rice is
usually sold in 30 kg bags. Japonica should not be confused with Jasponica rice
– a cross between the long-grained and fragrant Thai Jasmine rice and the
sticky, soft Japanese rice. Japan
Rice is cultivated throughout
. In Japan Hokkaidō, 's
northernmost island, hardier varieties are grown. In Japan Honshū, the Japanese mainland, varieties such as koshihikari are grown.
Rice is eaten in several ways in
, as plain
rice "gohan" (lit.
"cooked rice" or "meal of any sort") or
often with a topping of furikake , nattō or nori , as
well as for sushi .
Leftover rice is often reused as ochazuke (rice
with green tea) or chāhan (fried
Rice is also used to make alcoholic drinks like sake , rice vinegar, snacks such as senbei , rice crackers, and agemochi.
Traditionally, rice was eaten at every meal in
most modern rice cookers can be set ahead by a timer, so that rice will be
ready for the morning meal. The rice cooker can also keep rice moist and warm.
Rice kept warm like this remains edible for several hours, so that rice need be
made only once per day. Japan
Prepared rice is usually served from the rice cooker into a chawan, or rice bowl.
After cooking, rice may also be held in a covered wooden box called an ohitsu.
Brown rice can be sprouted at home if it has not been irradiated or otherwise altered.
Cultivars grown outside Japan
Arborio rice and Baldo rice are cultivars of Japonica grown in
other Mediterranean countries.
Idly rice- the short grained and stout variety grown in Tamil Nadu ( Italy Southern India) closely resembles japonica.
Two major subspecies of rice ( L.), and , are widely recognized. Japonica rice, which includes temperate and upland (tropical) cultivars, has been less well characterized by DNA markers than indica rice.
The present study was undertaken to quantify genetic diversity with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers in a sample of 134 predominately japonica cultivars and two wild species ( Sharma et Shastry and
Ten oligonucleotide primers produced 30 bands showing clear polymorphisms. The indica and japonica cultivars were classified into separate groups by cluster analysis. Clustering was less pronounced within the japonica group. Tropical japonicas (including
long-grain types) usually
clustered together but no firm boundary was found between the tropical and
temperate types. U.S.
Japanese rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica) is a short-grain variety of rice that grows well in both tropical and cool-weather climates. Prized in Japanese cuisine for its nutty fragrance and soft texture, its sticky consistency makes it a staple in dishes such as sushi and mochi. Because rice growing is a time- and labor-intensive process relative to the amount of yield, rice is typically grown commercially in large paddies.
Japonica rice is typically grown in temperate countries like
. Because it is a high-quality and a
high-yielding variety, japonica rice
fetches a higher cost than the tropically grown indica rice. Farmers who can grow japonica rice locally stand to earn greater return on their
incomes. Consumers, on the other hand, can afford to enjoy this semi-glutinous
rice at affordable prices, rather than paying more for the imported japonica South
Developing japonica rice for the tropics
IRRI’s japonica rice breeding program, which is now known as Germplasm Utilization Value Added (GUVA), started in 1991, in collaboration with the
to develop high-quality, high-yielding temperate japonica rice cultivars that can adapt and grow in the tropical zone. Under warm conditions, most temperate japonica rice varieties show stunted growth and develop weak
tillers, small panicles, and premature heading because these varieties are
sensitive to short daylength and high temperature. Republic of Korea
So, during the initial stage of the breeding program, every year, scientists identified and selected, from the Korean Seed Multiplication Project’s nursery, germplasm (plant genetic material) that showed good performance in the
. These selections
served as base materials to develop breeding populations of temperate japonica rice that can adapt to tropical
At the early stage of the breeding program, scientists identify and select genetic material that serve as base material for breeding populations of japonica rice suited in a tropical environment. During field tests, these were found to be less sensitive to longer exposure to sunlight and higher temperature. Plant growth does not vary much under the different environments of
Korea and the . Philippines
They were found to be less sensitive to longer exposure to sunlight and higher temperature, and also did not differ much in plant growth under the varying environments of
Korea and the . Philippines
The first of the two cultivars in the
NSIC Rc170 or IRRI 142, now called MS11, was released in 2008. MS11 is a cross
between two varieties from the Philippines , namely,
Jinmibyeo and Cheolweon 46. Jinmibyeo has high grain quality, while Cheolweon
46 has high resistance to pests and diseases in tropical conditions. Republic
Released in the
in 2008, MS11 is a cross between two Korean varieties, namely, Jinmibeyo, which
has high grain quality, and Cheolweon 46, which is highly resistant to pests
and diseases in the tropics. Philippines
The product, MS11, is a semidwarf (90 cm), early-maturing (112 days) variety, and has the typical characteristics of japonica grain—short rounded shape, low amylose content (15.5%), and low gelatinization temperature. In the three- season multilocation trials from the wet by Kyung-Ho Kang.
Hence, the Germplasm Utilization Value Added project paved the way for scientists to breed elite rice breeding lines that, in turn, provided the base materials for breeding two varieties of temperate japonica rice suited to the tropical conditions of the Philippines—NSIC Rc220 or IRRI 152 and NSIC Rc170 or IRRI 142, now called MS11.
Recently, RDA ceremonially handed over MS11 to farmers for cultivation on the Philippine
, at an event marking RDA and
IRRI's long and productive collaboration. island of Bohol
The project resulted in two cultivars, the MS 11, or IRRI 142 and IRRI 152. MS 11, released in 2008, is a cross between two Korean varieties namely Jimnibeyo, which has high grain quality, and Cheolweon 46 which is highly resistant to pests and diseases in the tropics.
The second temperate japonica rice, NSIC Rc220 or IRRI 152, was released in 2009. Locally known as Japonica 1, this cultivar is also a semidwarf (89 cm), early-maturing (109 days), and high-yielding variety. Again, in three-year multilocation trials conducted during the wet seasons of 2007 to 2008, it demonstrated a 25% greater yield advantage over MS11. And, strikingly, it was evaluated to have better eating quality—comparable with that of the highly regarded Koshihikari, a japonica rice widely grown in
Both IRRI 152 and MS11 were approved for large-scale planting by the National Seed Industry Council of the
. RDA officially
turned over MS 11 rice to farmers for cultivation in the Philippine Republic
of Korea in early 2010. island of Bohol
It is expected that local cultivation of these high-quality lines will give farmers higher returns. Consumers as well can enjoy this semiglutinous rice at affordable prices.
Traditionally grown in cooler regions, japonica varieties, which are developed by IRRI, can now be cultivated. It is expected that local cultivation of these high-quality lines will give farmers higher returns. Consumers as well can enjoy this semiglutinous rice at affordable prices.
On the website “Rice Today” April-June 2010 seasons of 2001 to 2002, MS11 yielded an average of 4.5 tons per hectare, with a premium milling and head rice recovery of 70 and 61%, respectively.
Now, many elite temperate japonica lines adaptable to tropical climate are being developed at IRRI through the GUVA program. These lines are expected to provide base materials for intersubspecies hybridization to develop intermediate varieties. These intermediate varieties will be another breeding goal for the GUVA program to achieve genetic improvement for yield potential, canopy architecture, lodging tolerance, and resistance to major pests and environmental stresses that currently pose a threat to the temperate japonica varieties’ growth in tropical conditions.
With the release of the two japonica rice cultivars, a growing taste for japonica rice in the
especially among urban dwellers and the younger generation, will soon be
satiated at more reasonable costs. Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese restaurants
and hotels would no longer need to look back to their origins to cater to their
customers’ preference. Most importantly, local farmers who grow this type of
rice could soon take advantage of the expanding market, reap higher profits,
and, we hope, lead better lives. Philippines
While South and Southeast Asians, for example, prefer long-grain rice such as basmati and jasmine, Northeast Asians prefer medium-grain rice, known as japonica. This latter type of rice thrives in temperate areas. Hence, in countries where it is not traditionally grown, consumers need to pay more to obtain it.
This may soon change, however, as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has recently developed two temperate japonica rice varieties released in the
. The Rice Technical Working
Group of the National Seed Industry Council through the National Cooperative
Tests Network, led by the Philippine Rice Research Institute, has approved two
temperate japonica rice cultivars,
NSIC Rc170 or IRRI 142 and NSIC Rc220 or IRRI 152, for large- scale planting.
This development is expected to provide local farmers with higher returns, and
subsequently, allow consumers to enjoy this quality rice at a more affordable
1-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryza_sativa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia