In the 2015/16 growing season, Irga
cultivar 424 RI, fromthe RioGrande do Sul
Rice Institute (Irga), based on Basf tech-
nology, passed the test of its first growing
season on a large scale, with upwards of
40% of the total seeded area in the State.
Besidesbeingproductive,itsleadingtraits
include resistance to rice blast, main dis-
ease that affects the rice fields and causes
heavy damage, and the fact that it is from
the new generation of resistance to herbi-
cides of the imidazoline group - with high
resistance tophytotoxicity. Itskernel, how-
ever, gives rise toheateddebates: some in-
dustries claim that it has more flaws than
permitted, like protuberance, softness like
gypsumandwhiteness.
For this reason, Irga officials have come
up with at least six new promising breeds
from the genetic enhancement program,
anticipating the varieties scheduled for the
coming seasons. “These breeds are under-
going tests, and are the subject of advanced
studies with an eye on productivity and
Quality”, clarifies Irga researcher Oneides
Avozani. “We pay special heed to the grain’s
appearance for a product superior in quali-
ty and aspect, even after boiled, which is an
industry requirement”. One of the breeds is
knownasFL04489,withamediumcycleand
productivityhigherthanIrga424,besidesre-
sistance to riceblast, andkernel quality very
similartovariety417.
n
n
n
Irga 424 RI, the bet
Varieties incorporate traits of higher efficiency to the plants
ceTec, biggest company inhybrid ricegenet-
ics in theAmericas, built a research center in
Santa Maria (RS), with an investment of R$
25 million. Besides launching a new prod-
uct and loyalty programs and production
guarantee, it is now investing in convention-
al cultivars. The main ones are likely to ap-
pear in the market in the 2018/19 growing
season.
With constant reductions in the pro-
duction of rice in the Brazilian Center-West,
AgroNorte Pesquisas e Sementes, in Sinop
(MT), is also engaged in adapting cultivars
fromSouthBrazil andseek results that bring
smiles to the growers.
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