The Diversity of Local Rice Varieties with Specific West Sumatra Flavor Based on Agronomic Characteristics and Yield Components

Abstract

Unlike in other provinces in Indonesia, West Sumatran people prefer a specific nonsticky or pera-flavor of rice. The availability of pera-flavor rice varieties is very limited. Because of that, local rice germplasms of West Sumatra can be alternative to overcome the variety’s limitation. The research aimed to determine the diversity of West Sumatra’s local lowland rice varieties with specific preferences of West Sumatra’s people based on their agronomic characteristics and yield components. The research was conducted in farmers’ field at Air Tajun village in Lubuk Alung district and Toboh Gadang Barat village in Sintuk Toboh Gadang district, Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, from April to June 2018. A randomized complete block design with six treatments and four replications was used in this research. The treatments consisted of six of West Sumatra’s local rice varieties, i.e. Putiah Papanai, Lubuak Nyarai, Cantik Manih, Kuriak Putiah, Randah Kuning and Padi Merah. Observations were made on their agronomic characteristics and yield components. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by LSD test at a 5% significance level. Results showed that the Putiah Papanai variety had relatively more productive tillers with an average of 20.8 stems and higher productivity (7.28 tons/ha) compared to other varieties.