Genetic Improvement of North Sumatra Upland Red Rice through Exploration and Induced Mutations Rahmad Setia Budi1, Irfan Suliansyah2, Yusniwati2 and Sobrizal3 1Agriculture Department of Doctoral Program, Andalas University, Padang 2 Agriculture Department of Andalas University, Padang 3Isotop and Radiation Application Center (IRAC) BATAN Jakarta Keywords: biodiversity, exploration, food security, induced mutations, upland red rice. Abstract: Genetic resources is very important biodiversity and the basic capital needed in development agricultural industry including new varieties inventionin order to increase productionto support food security and sustainable agriculture. One type of local upland rice in North Sumatra that is widely planted by the community is the type of upland red rice, which adapts well to the area of origin with the taste of rice and aroma according to the tastes of the local communityand health function for the body. Local varieties usually have disadvantages such as inner age, high stems so that it is easy to fall, unresponsive to fertilization and low production.The income of superior varieties to increase production in support of food security and sustainable agriculture needs to be carried out in one exploration activity, and mutation breeding. The study was carried out in two stages; (1) Exploration was carried out in North Sumatra from August 2015 to March 2016 through literature studies, interviews and direct visits to farmers' fields in regencies which are rice-producing areas and have the potential for local upland rice. Of the 22 cultivars collected, the information obtained were environmental conditions, farming systems, farmer characteristics, and cropping conditions,1 local upland rice cultivar (Sigambiri Merah) was selected to be improved through mutation breeding (induced mutation). (2). Induced mutations carried out from April 2016 to June 2017 aim to improve genetic Sigambiri Merah, especially related to the age of plants to be early matured and dwarf/ semi-dwarf stems. The seeds are irradiated with gamma rays Co-60 at the Center for National Isotopes and Radiation Applications of the Nuclear Energy Agency (PAIR-BATAN), Jakarta. M1 planting was carried out at BPTP North Sumatra. From the observation of the percentage of seedling growth, plant height and root length in the nursery phase, and the percentage of grain blanket in M1 plants obtained irradiation dose 200 - 300 Gy is an effective dose in generating genetic diversity. M1 plant seeds will certainly be very useful as an initial plant material in the improvement of red rice varieties in the future stages of plant breeding programs. 1 INTRODUCTION 2013, harvested area of Indonesia's rice was 13.83 million hectares resulting the productivity of 5.15 Paddy (Oryzasativa L.) or rice is the main staple t/ha and total production of 71.28 million tons food for the people of Indonesia, and an important (Zainiet al,2014). component in the national food security system. In The lowness increase in harvested area shows addition, rice is also one of raw materials of various that to increase rice production has been more foods, such as cakes flour, noodles, and baby food difficult especially in Java, Sumatera and (brown rice). The need for rice each year increases Nusatenggara (MOA, 2013 and Atomos, 2014). In with the increasing of population (Amrizalet al. addition, the declination in production is also caused 2010).The demand for rice each year increases in by the occurrence of decreasing in the potential yield line with the increasing of population. Indonesian of existing rice cultivars. This is due to the rice consumption is 135 kgs/capita/year. Out of the narrowness of the genetic diversity of existing rice 39.7 million hectares of Indonesian mainland, 20.5% caused by many released rice cultivars that are is planted with rice (Abdurachmanet al, 2008). In related one to each other. As a result, rice diversity 216 Budi, R., Suliansyah, I., Yusniwati, . and Sobrizal, . Genetic Improvement of North Sumatra Upland Red Rice through Exploration and Induced Mutations. DOI: 10.5220/0008887702160224 In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR 2018) - , pages 216-224 ISBN: 978-989-758-437-4 Copyright c 2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved Genetic Improvement of North Sumatra Upland Red Rice through Exploration and Induced Mutations is reduced and the yield potential is no different. to be very beneficial to health, as well as staple This facts endanger the existence of local rice both foods, among others, to prevent food and nutrition wetland and upland rice cultivars, which currently shortages and cure diseases. The content of more abandoned by farmers and threatened in anthocyanin in brown rice is believed to prevent extinction (Toha, 2005). various diseases such as cancer, cholesterol, and Indonesia is a tropical country with a huge coronary heart (Fitriani, 2006). potential and belongs to the second largest country The utilization of improved varieties is a reliable on biodiversity. The high level of biodiversity of technology in increasing the production of food germ-plasma or genetic resources (GR) is because crops. This technology is considered safer and more Indonesia has a vast landscape with the spread and environmentally friendly and cheaper for farmers. condition of geographic areas that vary (Sujiprihati Therefore, attention to the effort obtaining superior and Syukur, 2012). A genetic resource is one of the varieties through breeding research needs to be most important natural resources and is the basic given so that genetic quality of the local rice can be capital needed to develop the agricultural industry. improved. Indonesian plant breeders successfully Genetic Resources management is considered bred 180-day-old rice with productivity of 2-3 tons successful if it has been able to provide access to GR /ha to 105 days old with 6-8 tons / ha productivity as a source of donor genes in breeding programs, such as AekSibundong a local rice varieties of North and plant breeding is considered to be successful if it Sumatra (Irianto, 2008). To support the has utilized the genetic properties available in GR sustainability of paddy production in the regions and collections (Sumarno and Zuraida, 2004). Local the increasing of national rice production, varieties cultivars are seen as a very valuable asset and need that are adaptive to environmental conditions in the to be well managed. Local rice (landrace) is a GR country are needed (Hairmansis et al.2015). that has a certain genetic advantage, has been Therefore, breeding efforts are needed to increase cultivated for generations so that the genotype has the age of the plant to obtain higher production adapted well to the various land conditions and intensity. specific climate in the area of development. In Basically, plant breeding is to choose the addition, local rice is naturally resistant to pests and character of the plant in accordance with the diseases, tolerant to abiotic stress, and has a good breeder's purpose. Choosing or selecting plants will quality of rice and generally has a taste and aroma be more flexible if there is extensive genetic favoured by the people (Siwi and Kartowinoto, diversity in the population. To expand genetic 1989; Hayward et al.1993 and Sitaresmiet al.2013). diversity can be done by several methods, including The exploration, collection and conservation of through induction mutations, which are effective GR has become a global concern, by forming an ways to enrich GR, as well as to improve cultivars, international body of the International Plant Genetic by changing the genetic makeup of plants using Resource Institute (IPGRI) based in Rome, which mutagen. The aim is to obtain new properties that plays a role in the management of germ-plasma for are superior to the parent variety. Mutation breeding some particular commodities (Poespodarsono, is considered to be better for the improvement of 1988). only a few properties by not changing most of the Exploration is an activity to seek, find, and properties of the original plants that have been collect certain GR to secure them from extinction. In favoured and relatively requiring a shorter time in order for the GR to be more efficiently secured it is the purification process (Amano, 2006 and necessary to conduct more dynamic conservation Ismachin, 2007). such as in situ conservation or on-farm conservation The specific purpose of this research is to (Swastiet al.2007), has explored 182 local rice explore and characterize the various local rice inWest Sumatra, but more directed to wetland rice characters of North Sumatra red rice, and followed (Warmanet al.2011). In West Sumatra there are still by characters improvement of North Sumatra upland 15 local upland rice cultivars that are still cultivated red rice through further breeding activities. by the farmer in dry land/hills. From the local Characters that will be improved primarily are the upland rice cultivars there is an upland rice that has age of plants, posture, and production. While the black endosperm colour (black rice). specific objectives of the study are as follows: One type of upland rice in North Sumatra, which 1. Getting, and collecting and consolidating the is widely planted by farmers, is red upland rice. Red local red rice in North Sumatra as a first step (brown) rice has the advantage of both itstenderness in conservation. and benefit for the human body. Red rice is known 217 ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research 2. Characterization of morphology, especially relatives in the area.Visited and interviewed directly morphology of rice grain of red rice from to the fields Farmers in the District which were exploration results regional producers of rice and had the potential of 3. Producing plant material for the improvement the existence of local upland red rice. Data of local red rice cultivars. collection included name of cultivar, number and origin of collection, based on predefined sampling method.