Agro-morphological and molecular characterization of traditional scented Radhatilak rice of lower Gangetic plains of West Bengal

Abstract

Radhatilak, an indigenous tall-indica type scented rice, is presently cultivated in small pockets in 3-4 districts within lower gangetic plains of West Bengal, India. With a view to register as a farmers' variety, its agromorphological characterization was done at 'C' Block Farm, B.C.K.V., Kalyani, West Bengal during kharif (wet) season of 2012, 2013 and 2014 following DUS test guidelines of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA). The variety has late heading (115-120 days) and late maturity (140- 150 days), which produces long-statured plants (130-140 cm height) with no anthocyanin colouration on leaf blade and sheath, nodes and internodes. The colour of lemma and palea is golden-yellow with red or reddishpurple spot at tip at maturity, while sterile lemma is red in colour. The awnless grains are short in length (6.3 mm) with very low test weight (10.95 g). The white- coloured kernels are short-bold in shape with low amylose (18.6%), medium gelatinization temperature (alkali value 3.3) and medium-strong aroma. Twenty three SSR markers were used for DNA amplification profiling of Radhatilak rice against non-aromatic international check variety IR 36. The study could identify two markers (RM 339 and RM 341) which can clearly distinguish Radhatilak and IR 36 (182.39 vs. 143.09 bp and 135.39 vs. 174.97 bp, respectively).