Central Rice Research Institute Annual report...2011-12

Fig. 4.
was 5.30 t ha -1 in the wet season, it was reduced to
about 2.20 t ha -1 due to stunted growth, reduction in
panicle length, grains per panicle and 1000 seed weight;
another reason for the reduced yield could be the shorter
crop duration observed during the dry season. This
indicates that the rice Aghoni is not suitable for cultivation
at Cuttack in dry season.
The data on quality of milled rice of Aghoni indicated
that the grains were medium slender type with
good head rice recovery (64.5%). The alkali spreading
value (6.0) and water uptake value (310 ml 100g -1 ) were
a little on the higher side whereas, the amylose content
was quite low (4.65%), which classifies Aghoni as a
very low amylose rice (2-9% amylose). The grain characteristics
remained largely unchanged when grown
in wet/dry season.
The soaking time (time required by parboiled grains
to become as soft as cooked after soaking in water of
normal temperature) of Aghoni increased from 40 min
in 2008 to 90 min in 2011 indicating that the climatic/
soil conditions at Cuttack do not suit it at least with
respect to maintaining the soaking time.
Standardization of a laboratory method for
quantifying total carbonyl content of rice as
an indicator of aroma
A small arrangement was set up to measure the total
carbonyl content of scented rice grains by a titrimetric
method. The carbonyl compounds released by digestion
of grain starch were driven to a flask containing
alkaline KMnO 4
. The unreacted KMnO 4
was treated
with iodine solution and titrated against 0.02N Na 2
S 2
O 3
.
Though lesser volumes of Na 2
S 2
O 3
solution were required
for scented grains (Basmati and Dubraj) compared
to the non scented types (Vandana and Gayatri),
however, the data on volume of Na 2
S 2
O 3
solution required
were not reproducible.
Biochemical basis of grain quality
enhancement through organic management
practices
The rice variety Geetanjali was grown with different
organic sources of nutrients. The treatments were
control, FYM, green manure (Sesbania aculeata), FYM +
green manure (1:1 on N basis), FYM + Azolla (1:1 on N
basis), crop residue (5 t ha -1 ) + Sesbania aculeata, Azolla +
Sesbania aculeata (1:1 on N basis), crop residue (2.50 t
ha -1 ) + Sesbania aculeata. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-
picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH) scavenging activity
varied from 68.42 % to 129.48% and was higher
(129.48%) in organic rather than conventional treatment
(68.42%). There was very little difference between antioxidant
activities of cooked rice and raw brown rice.
The treatment crop residue + GM application resulted
in high oil content (3.72%) followed by FYM + GM
(3.22%) as compared to conventional one (2.19%).
Studies on quality characteristics of parental
lines and hybrids
38 CRRI ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12