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.