Variation in Grain Quality of Upland Rice from Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR

Luang Prabang Province is located within the area recognized as the center of rice(Oryza sativa L.) diversity in Lao PDR. This study reported on grain quality characteristics of 60 upland rice seed samples sharing 49 variety names collected from 6 villages in Luang Prabang in 2015. Most of the samples has non-pigmented pericarp, while red pericarp was found in four samples and purple in five samples. Almost all of the samples were of large grain type, with glutinous endosperm in 70% and non-glutinous endosperm in 30%. The brown(unpolished) rice was found with a wide range of grain nutritional quality, including protein(9.2% ± 0.9%), Fe(15.9 ± 6.9 mg/kg), Zn(19.6 ± 2.1 mg/kg), anthocyanin(0.774 ± 0.880 mg/g), and anti-oxidative capacity(2.071 ± 1.373 mg/g). The varieties sharing similar names had similar morphological characteristics but varied in nutritional concentration, with required confirmation in genetic variation analysis. This study found that some rice varieties with high grain quality may benefit the farmers directly or could be used in varietal improvement programs.

Iron Fortification in Parboiled Rice—A Rapid and Effective Tool for Delivering Iron Nutrition to Rice Consumers

Parboiled rice production accounts for nearly half of the world’s rice production. Its markets and consumer base are firmly established in South Asia and Africa where Fe-deficient populations are mostly concentrated. Our research group has pioneered the technology of Fe-fortification in parboiled rice and demonstrated its feasibility in significantly increasing Fe concentration in the endosperm (white rice) and its bioavailability in rice based diet. Fortification with Fe-EDTA during parboiling resulted in 10 to 50 folds increase in grain Fe concentration, depending on the grain properties among different rice varieties. However, the broken rice of Fe-fortified parboiled rice contained 5 times the Fe concentration of the full grain, which is often bought and consumed by people in low income category. The bioavailability of the fortified Fe is closely correlated with increasing Fe concentration in white rice (r = 0.90, p 50% to almost 100%, despite repeated rinsing before cooking depending on rice varieties. Perls’ Prussian blue staining and prolonged polishing showed that the in vitro Fe penetrated into the interior of the endosperm. Fortification at the rate up to 250 mg Fe kg–1 paddy rice has no deleterious effects on appearance, color and sensory quality and overall acceptance by parboiled rice consumers. It increased Fe concentration up to 27 mg Fe kg–1 of in white rice, compared with 5 mg Fe kg–1 in unfortified parboiled and raw white rice. As a result, we can conclude that parboiled rice is a ready and effective tool for improving Fe nutrition of rice consumers in these regions.