Characteristics of Rice Varieties in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Collection¹

Abstract

About 4,400 rice varieties from 57 countries were studied to determine length of growing period, kernel size and shape, and several physical and chemical endosperm characteristics associated with rice cooking and processing behavior. Days from seeding to heading was not highly correlated with the other characters studied. Correlation coefficients between kernel length, kernel width, and length/width ratio were significant. Amylose content, starchiodine‐blue values, and alkali reaction values were the best indicators of those stndied for predicting parboilingcanning stability. For long‐grain U.S. varieties, protein content also was an important component of the multiple regression equation of parboiling‐canning stability.