Nutritional evaluation of different rice (Oryza sativa) straw of bio-fortified varieties, bio-fortified breeding lines and breeding lines

Abstract

A total of 13 varieties of rice straw including eight biofortified varieties (BFV), two bio-fortified breeding lines (BBL), two breeding lines (BL) and one check variety of rice straw were subjected to straw quality evaluation. The Straw CP was negatively correlated with CF of straw and positively correlated with Iron and zinc content of brown rice and zinc content of polished rice. CF of rice straw was negatively correlated with important plant breeding parameters such as single plant dry weight, flag leaf length, iron content of brown rice, zinc content of both brown and polished rice. Improved bio-fortified breeding lines had more zinc than bio-fortified varieties indicating further scope of improvement of zinc content in straw. In vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) ranged from 37.9 in DRR Dhan 45 to 49.6 in DRR Dhan49 with an average of 43.0 in different bio-fortified varieties. Thus, the straw obtained from different bio-fortified crops is valuable feed item which needs to be utilized in livestock rations.