From earlier …. Cultivated traditional varieties Lower yield

In early 50th century….. Introduce exotic varieties Eg:PTB16,Sigadis,RemagaLater….Implementation of hybridization programmesIn 1958-Release H-4 (4 - 4 ½ month)Followed by H-7 (3 ½ month) H-9 (5-6month) H-10 (3 month)

Characters of old improved varieties…….. Higher yield than traditional varieties Taller Lodging Droopy leaves Poor response to fertilizers • In 1970 introduced NEW IMPROVED VARIETIES Eg: Bg90-2(4- 4 1/2 month) Bg94-2(3-1/2 month)

Characters of New improved varieties……… Higher yield Dwarf Erect leaves Resistant to lodging Resistant to pest and diseases

• Cultivation of traditional varieties done ; Preserve germplasm Resistant to pest and diseases Use in organic rice production Have good qualities Eg:

»Dewareddiri (5-5 1/2 months)- tolerant to flooded conditions.

» Pokkali(4 month) - saline resistant » Suduheenati (3 1/2 month)- hardy variety» Kaluheenati (3 1/2 month) -have medicinal

properties. » Pachaiperumal, Murunga(3 month)- medicinal

values.

• In Sri Lanka four main breeding centers Bathalegoda, Bombuwala, Labuduwa,

Ambalanthota

• Classification of varieties done according to their age group and breeding place

Eg: Bg 300 3 month variety breeding at Bathalegoda

Recommended rice varieties……… 3 month 3 ½ month 4-4 ½ month 5-6 month

3 month varieties

Bg 300• Yield:100-150 bushels/ac

Specific characters…..• White pericarp,high grain weight• Medium long grain• Tolerant to Leaf blight and leaf blast• Moderately tolerant to Gall midge• Recommended for all region in the island• Average yield under low fertility

Bg 304

Yield:100-150 bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Long grain• Resistent to Blight and Blast• Resistant to Gall midge and Brownplant hopper• More suitable for water stress conditions• Harvest can be used as seed paddy after 2

months as it has long term seed dormancy

3 month……

Bg 305Yield:110-130 bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Resistant to blast and Blight• Resistant to Gall midge and Brown planthopper

At 303Yield:100-120 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Long grain

3 month……

• Resistant to Blast• Popular variety among Hambantota farmers

Bw 272-6-BYield 60-80 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• High quality,small samba grain• Tolerant to iron toxicity• Suitable for problematic soils in low country wet zone

3 month……

3 ½ month varieties

Bg 350• Yield:150bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Long grain• Susceptible to Blast• High responses to added fertilizer and give higher yield• Very popular in Ampara district

Bg 352

• Yield:150-180bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Medium long grain• High grain weight• Moderately susceptible to Blight• Resistant to Blast and Brown planthopper• Very popular in Polonnaruwa district

3 ½ month…..

Bw 351Special characters………• Red pericarp• Moderately resistant to iron toxicity• Moderately tolerent to Blast and Blight• Popular among Low country wet zone farmers

At 353• Yield:150-180bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp

3 ½ month…..

• Suitable for problematic soil • Moderately susceptible to Blight• Very popular in Hambantota district

At 354• Yield:150bushels/ac• Recorded 203 bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Tolerent to salinity• Very popular in Hambantota and Matara districts in Southern province

3 ½ month……

At 362• Yield:150bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Resistant to Blast ,Blight and Brown planthopper• Very popular in Hambantota and Ampara

Bw 361• Yield:150bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp

3 ½ month…..

• Moderately resistant to Blast, Paddy bug and Brown planthoppers

• Recommended to Dry zone

Ld 355• Yield:120bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp, samba grain• Resistant to Brown spot and Leaf blight• Tolerent to iron toxicity

3 ½ month…..

Ld 356

• Yield:120bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Samba grain• Moderatly tolerent to iron toxicity• Suitable for Low country wet zone• Popular in Anuradhapura district

3 ½ month…..

Bg 358

• Yield:160bushels/ac• Recorded >190 bu/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Samba grain• Tolerent to Brown planthopper• Resistant to Leaf blight and Leaf blast

3½ month…..

4-4 ½ month varieties Bg 403 (Mahasen)

• Yield:150bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp• Medium long grain• Moderately resistant to Bacterial leafblight and Leaf blast• Harvesting should not delayed as grains quickly

fall off when they get mature

Bg 379-2• Yield:150 bushels/ac

Special characters………• White pericarp, medium long grain• Highly tolerent to Brown planthopper and resistant to Leaf blight• Higher response to added fertilizer and give higher yield• Difficult to separate grain from panicle• Highly susceptible to separate grain from panicle• Highly susceptible to iron toxicity

4-4 ½ month………

Bw 400• Yield:150 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Tolerent to salinity

At 401• Yield:150 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Red pericarp• Highly tolerent to salinity

4-4 ½ month………

H-4

• Yield:80 bushels/ac

Special characters………

• Red pericarp• Long grain• Tolerent to Leaf blast• Fairly difficult to separate grain from panicle• 1st hybride developed in Sri Lanka

4-4 ½ month………

Bg 407 H

• Potential yield-260-280 bushels/ac

• Suitable areas- Ampara,Polonnaruwa,Anuradhapura ,Hambantota,

Udawalawe, Mahaweli B,C,H regions

Special characters………• Suitable for both Yala and Maha• Dark white, long grain • Resistant to Blast ,Gall midge, Brown planthopper• Tolerent to iron toxicity and salinity• Breaking percentage at milling is minimum• Need less time for cooking

4-4 ½ month….

5-6 month varieties

Bg 407• Yield:120 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Resistant to Bacterial blight• Grow only in Maha season• Leaves are green in colour even when panicles are in well ripened stages• Recommended for submerging fields in Puttalam

Kurunegala,Gampaha,Colombo,Galle,Kalutara,Matara

• Can tolerate flooded condition even for 1-2 ½ month period

Bg 38

• Yield:120 bushels/ac

Special characters………• Samba type• Higher response to fertilizer• Resistant to Leaf blast• Grow only in Maha season• Rice is of a good taste• Recommended for submerging fields in Puttalam

Kurunegala,Gampaha,Colombo,Galle,Kalutara,Matara

• Can tolerate flooded condition even for 1-2 ½ month period

5-6 month……

Age group

Variety Released year

Age(days) Special characters

5-6 month

Bg 3-5 1973 150-180 Resistant to Bacterial leaf blight

Bg 745 1981 150-180 Resistant to Leaf blast and lodging

4-4 ½ month

Bg 450 1985 130 Resistant to Gall midge

At 402 1992 120 Recommendedd to southern province

At 405 1997 120 Moderately resistant to Brown planthopper

Bg 454 2005 130 Moderately resistant to Brown planthopper, Leaf blast ,Bacterial leaf blight

Bg 406 2005 120 Resistant to Brown planthopperModerately resistant to Leaf blast

More details……..

3 ½ month

Bg 359 1999 105 3 ½ month

Bg 360 1999 105 Resistant to Gall midgePopular as “keera samba”

Bw 363,364

2003 105 Moderately resistant to Brown planthopper, Leaf blast ,Bacterial leaf blight, Gall midge

Ld 365 2008 105 Resistant to Brown planthopper,Leaf blast ,Gall midge

3 month

At 306 2004 90 Resistant to Brown planthopper, Leaf blast , Bacterial leaf blight,Gall midge

2 ½ month

Bg 250 2005 80 Resistant to Brown planthopper