QTL for grain protein content: Using stable grain protein donor, ARC10075 and high-yielding cultivar ‘Naveen’ a backcross derived population was developed and was genotyped using 40K Affimetrix custom SNP array. We identified QTL, which were stable over the environments. One of them (qGPC1.1) was validated by NIR Spectroscopy-based high throughput phenotyping in NIL (BC3F5) population. Functional gene Os01g0111900 inside this QTL region encoding glutelin family protein was postulated. This was substantially supported by higher glutelin content in high-protein NILs with the introgression of qGPC1.1 in telomeric region of short arm of chromosome 1. In addition, a few other genes governing seed storage protein synthesis were found in association with the putative and multi-environment QTL.
Advancement of Mapping Population derived from cross CR Dhan 310/ Naveen and marker development for fine mapping of qGPC1.1: To fine map the consistent QTL on chromosome 1 (qGPC1.1), 51 F1s were raised from the cross between high protein rice CR Dhan 310 and its recurrent parent, Naveen. Two STMS markers (RM11157 and AUT 10295) and 182 SNP positions selected from the three genomic blocks differentiating Naveen and CR Dhan 310. Total 171 SNP markers accommodated in 06 Assay of SequenomMassARRAY will be used for high throughput genotyping of NIL-F2 population for fine mapping of qGPC1.1.
Evaluation, demonstration and popularization of high nutrient rice: A field experiment was carried out at research farm of ICAR-NRRI, during dry season to evaluate the performance of high protein rice under different crop establishment method and nutrient management practices. The treatments were comprised of three method of crop establishment i.e., SRI Method, dibbling of sprout seeds at 25×25 cm, normal transplanting at 20 × 15 cm and six nutrient management practices i.e., 100% of recommended inorganic fertilizer (120:60:40 kg NPK/ha), 50 % of inorganic and 50 % of organic, 100 % of recommended dose through organic source (equivalent to N dose), 150 % of RFD, LCC based nitrogen management and no fertilizer (Control). The experiment was arranged in split plot design with three replications. The test variety CR Dhan 310 was taken as the test crop of 120 days duration. Results revealed that yield attributes i.e., effective panicles per plant, plant height, grains per panicle and 1000 grain weight were found to be significantly superior with SRI method as compared to other methods of crop establishment. Further it was also found that rice grown with SRI method produced 16.3 % and 28.6 % higher grain yield over dibble sowing and normal transplanted rice. Similarly higher grain protein was recorded with the SRI method (10.84 %) over other method of establishment. Among the nutrient management options significantly higher grain yield of rice (5.28 t/ha) was observed with the treatment receiving 150% higher recommended dose of fertilizer over control but the protein content (11.97 %) was found significantly superior with the treatment with 100% of recommended inorganic fertilizer dose (120:60:40 kg NPK/ha).