Volume 5 Issue 1

Screening and selection of low grain arsenic (As) accumulating rice germplasms under West Bengal condition

Author(s): B. ADHIKARI, M.K. BAG, R. D. TRIPATHI AND U. N. RAI
Abstract: For developing (As) tolerant rice variety, screening and selection of As tolerant rice germplasms (low As containing grain) is an essential pre-requisite. Keeping this objective in mind, a collaborative research programme has been undertaken and three different As contaminated locations viz, Purbasthali-1, Birnagar and Beldanga-1(As content ranges from 10 μg /L to >50 μg /L) were chosen for field trials along with a control set at RRS, Chinsurah. During Boro 2007-2008, hundred (100) rice germplasms were grown at the said locations and all of the entries were evaluated. The result of the experimental trial revealed that out of the hundred entries, only seven entries are promising with respect to grain arsenic content. Arsenic content in grain was very high in three entries and low in four entries irrespective of locations. The result of the arsenic analysis of rice grains suggests that diversified rice germplasms have differential reactions towards uptake and translocation of arsenic into the grains and this differential reaction is mainly due to genotypic differences of the rice varieties.

Fig 1: Grain arsenic level in different rice germplasms cultivated at Purbosthali – I.

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