Cataloguing of Germplasm of Transplanted Rice
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Date
1997
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Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi
Abstract
Rice is one of the staple cereal crops of the world. It is consumed as a main food of more than 60 per cent of the world population It is a major source of protein (8.5%). It also contains about 2 to 2.5 per cent fat. In Asia, 90 per cent of the world's rice is grown and consumed, and nearly 2.8 billion people derive 35 to 60 per cent of the calories from rice.
Rice area is concentrated in South-East Asian countries which contribute 80 per cent of total production. In India 90 per cent area is covered by rice during monsoon season. In some parts of the country it is sown throughout the year. India has the largest area about 41.5 million hectares under rice and annual production reached 80.96 million tones during the year 1995-96 (Swami Nathan, 1989 and Survey of Indian Agriculture, 1996, respectively). Therefore possibilities of further increase in area under rice cultivation being limited. Major gains in rice production in future will depend mainly on crop yield/unit area (Paroda & Malik, 1990). The yield gains in production were achieved due to the introduction of high yielding varieties in a big way in the country.
Thus, the rapid spread of high yielding semi-dwarf since 1966-67 has greatly narrowed the genetic base of the rice crop. The average yield of rice in India is 1.9 tonnes/ha. and in Bihar 1.343 tonnes/ha. In India, more than 60 per cent of rice area falls in eastern India where the average yield is still low.