Genetic resources

Bhavapuri Sannalu, a new superfine rice variety

released for single-cropped wetlands of Andhra
Pradesh, India
B. Krishna Veni, N. Chamundeswari, K. Anny Mrudhula, Ch. Pulla Rao, and B.
Vijaya Lakshmi, Rice Research Unit (RRU), Bapatla, Guntur District, Andhra
Pradesh, India

Andhra Pradesh is an important rice-growing state in India. With a rice area of

about 4 million ha, it produces 13 million t of rice annually. About 80% of the
total area under rice is planted to fine and superfine varieties. In recent years,
popular variety Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204) has become susceptible to most pests
and diseases, particularly brown planthoppers (BPH) and blast (Bhanu et al 2007,
Srinivasa Prasad et al 2009). As fine-grain varieties are preferred by farmers and
consumers, the RRU at Bapatla began developing a long-duration, fine-grain
variety that has resistance to biotic stresses. Samba Mahsuri was crossed with
CRMR1523, a BPH-resistant genotype. The population was advanced through
the pedigree method to produce BPT2270, which was consequently released as
Bhavapuri Sannalu by the State Variety Release Committee of Andhra Pradesh in
2010. This nonlodging, semidwarf (110–120 cm) variety with 160–165-d duration,
average yield potential of 6.0–6.5 t ha–1, high tillering capacity, strong culms, and
ability to withstand submergence up to 1 wk has been recommended for
cultivation in single-cropped wetlands of the state.
Bhavapuri Sannalu has medium slender grains with excellent cooking
quality (Table 1). Milling (71.6%) and head rice recovery (58.4%) are higher than
those of Samba Mahsuri, and it fetches a higher price for farmers. Amylose
content (24.3%) and alkali spreading value (5.0) (indicators of texture and
firmness of cooked rice, respectively) are within the intermediate range, quality
traits that most consumers prefer. This variety had a 54.8% yield advantage on
average over the check Samba Mahsuri in station trials conducted during the
2002-04 kharif (Table 2). In multilocation trials, Bhavapuri Sannalu showed a
yield superiority of 37.9% over Samba Mahsuri. In farmers’ fields, it recorded an
increase of 20.8% and 15.1% over the same variety in adaptive and minikit trials,
respectively. Bhavapuri Sannalu showed moderate resistance to leaf blast and
BPH and is expected to be popular in single-cropped wetlands of Andhra
Pradesh because of its superior grain type, high yield potential, and good grain
quality.

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Table 1. Grain quality characteristics of Bhavapuri Sannalu in comparison with

Samba Mahsuri.
Grain quality character Bhavapuri Sannalu Samba Mahsuri
Hulling (%) 81.9 80.6
Milling (%) 71.6 70.4
Head rice recovery (%) 58.4 56.2
Kernel length (mm) 5.12 5.14
Kernel breadth (mm) 1.73 1.85
Length/breadth 2.95 2.77
Grain type Medium slender Medium slender
Grain chalkiness Very occasionally present Very occasionally present
Volume expansion ratio 5.6 4.2
Water uptake 205 240
Kernel length after cooking (mm) 8.8 9.0
Elongation ratio 1.71 1.87
Alkali spreading value 5.0 4.0
Amylose content (%) 24.3 24.5
Gel consistency (mm) 43 42.0
Aroma Absent Absent

Table 2. Yield performance of Bhavapuri Sannalu in different yield trials.

Years Trial Grain yield (t ha-1) Increase over
Bhavapuri Samba check (%)
Sannalu Mahsuri
2002-04 Station trials 6.2 4.0 54.8
2004 Multilocation trials (slender grain) 5.2 3.8 37.9
2005-08 On-farm trials in farmers’ fields 6.4 5.3 20.8
2005-08 Minikit trials in farmers’ fields 6.1 5.3 15.1
 

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Field view of BPT 2270 

  BPT 2270
 

Single plant of BPT 2270

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References cited
Bhanu VK, Mallikarjuna Rao N, Satyanarayana Reddy P. 2007. Evaluation of integrated pest
management modules against planthoppers and stem borers in rice. Green Farming
1(3):17-19.
Srinivasa Prasad M, Aruna Kanthi B, Balachandran SM, Seshumadhav M, Madan Mohan K,
Viraktamath BC. 2009. Molecular mapping of rice blast resistance gene Pi-1(t) in the elite
indica variety Samba Mahsuri. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 25(10):1765-1769.
 

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