Rice Grains from A Slightly Saline Field Exhibited Unchanged Starch Physicochemical Properties but Enhanced Nutritional Values

Abstract

This study aims to investigate grain quality and nutritional values of rice (Pokkali, RD73 and KDML105) grown under the non-saline and slightly saline field condition. The results revealed that salinity caused significant increments in grain reducing sugar and total proteins. Nevertheless, the amounts of starch in the grains of KDML105 and Pokkali rice genotypes were unaffected by the stress. The starch granule size distribution was also unaffected by salinity. Interestingly, only starch from Pokkali, the intermediate amylose type, was significantly diminished in amylose content, from 19.18% to 16.99%. Accordingly, parameters relating to starch gelatinization, retrogradation, and pasting properties of KDML105 and RD73 were unaffected by salinity; only Pokkali showed a significant increase in percentage retrogradation along with the significant reduction in gelatinization enthalpy. In the saline field, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity in the grains of all rice cultivars tended to increase, particularly in Pokkali. On average, essential element contents in grains from the saline plants showed 33%, 32%, 32%, 22%, 20%, 11%, and 10% increase in total P, N, K, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Ca content, respectively. Interestingly, total Fe exhibited the greatest percentage increments in KDML105 (187%). Taken together, cultivation of rice in the slightly saline field did not alter its eating and cooking qualities while enhanced some nutritional properties such as proteins, minerals, and secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds.