Purple Rice Selection for High Grain Iron and Yield Rice Lines in F4 and F5 Generations from Cross Between Kum Hom Mor Chor and Pathum Thani 1

Abstract

Iron (Fe) is an essential element for human health, but the popular staple food as rice contains very low amount of Fe compares with the other grains. Adding Fe into rice grains is an alternative solution to solve the problem of Fe deficiency among rice consumers. This research aimed to select rice lines with high grain Fe concentration, black pericarp, and high yield by taking seeds from F3 population between Kum Hom Mor Chor (KHCMU), a photoperiod sensitivity with high grain Fe concentration > 10 mg/kg and Pathum Thani 1 (PTT1), a photoperiod insensitivity with high yield varieties. The 20 lines were used as a preliminary population in this study. The F4 generation was evaluated and selected in dry season, 2018 at the experimental field. At maturity, plants were harvested and recorded for color of pericarp and agronomic characteristics i.e., days to flowering, plant height and yield. The grain Fe concentration in brown rice was analysed and the high Fe concentration plants were selected for the representative of F5 population. The F5 population was continued to evaluate and select in wet season, 2018 by the plantation and management were similar to the F4 generation. In summary, 6 plants with high grain Fe concentration, black pericarp and high yield were selected. Grain Fe concentration in brown rice and yield of the selected lines were ranged between 13.3 - 17.5 mg/kg, and 24.6 - 47.2 g/plant which was 170  - 224% and 171 - 328% higher than PTT1 and KHCMU, respectively. These selected lines could be used as source of genetic materials for the development of new rice varieties with high grain Fe concentration, black pericarp, and high yield in the future.