Stakeholder preferences on major characteristics of promising rice lines

Abstract

The main purpose of plant breeding programs is to improve varieties acceptable to rural communities. Participatory crop improvement for rice lines was initiated using techniques which were designed with the purposes to strengthen the collaboration between breeders and stakeholder especially farmers to produce varieties. Before the promising rice lines released and adopted by farmers, it is necessary to study the preferences on characteristics, especially its quality, because farmers have their own criteria or considerations before adopting a new variety. A bottom-up preferences in this study is to understand the major phenotypic performance, sensory quality, and provide recommendations for improving promising rice lines (Oryza sativa L.). The respondents are farmers, extension workers, members of academic institutions, and local government officers, came from four Regencies (Banyumas, Magelang, Batang, Klaten) that representing the main rice production areas in Central Java province. The attribute data on rice characteristics showed that grain size, plant age, and lemma shape of apiculus was essentially regarded as a major factor for better performing varieties. The respondents’ preference provides recommendations for breeders to release promising rice lines GM 8 and GM 2 into commercial varieties.