California Rice Varieties
Authors
F. Jodari, plant breeder, Rice Experiment Station, Biggs, CA
C.W. Johnson, plant breeder, Rice Experiment Station, Biggs, CA
J.J. Oster, plant pathologist, Rice Experiment Station, Biggs, CA
K.S. McKenzie, plant breeder and director, Rice Experiment Station, Biggs, CA
W.M. Canevari, M.W. Hair, R.G. Mutters and J.F. Williams are Farm Advisors, UC Cooperative Extension, San Joaquin, Colusa/Yolo, Butte/Glenn and Sacramento/ Sutter/Yuba counties respectively
R.L. Wennig, staff research associate, Dept. of Agronomy & Range Science, UC Davis
Introduction
You will find two tables below that describe California Public rice varieties. The first table describes the grain type, maturity, year seed was widely available, the stem rot score and seedling vigor. The second table gives the comments about the same varieties.
Scores for Public California Rice Varieties
2001
| Grain type | Maturity | Year seed widely available | Stem rot score1 | Seedling vigor2 |
| Short Grain | ||||
| S-102 | Very Early3 | 1998 | 5.9 | 4.3 |
| Medium Grain | ||||
| M-103 | Very Early3 | 1990 | 5.5 | 3.9 |
| M-104 | Very Early3 | 2002 | 5.6 | 4.4 |
| M-202 | Early | 1987 | 5.8 | 4.4 |
| M-204 | Early | 1993 | 5.7 | 4.2 |
| M-205 | Early | 2002 | 5.5 | 4.1 |
| Long Grain | ||||
| L-204 | Early | 1998 | 5.6 | 4.1 |
| L-205 | Early | 2001 | 5.7 | 3.9 |
| Premium Quality | ||||
| M-401 | Late | 1983 | 5.4 | 4.3 |
| M-402 | Late | 2001 | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Calhikari-201 | Early | 2001 | 6.0 | 4.4 |
| Specialty Rice | ||||
| Calmochi-101 | Very Early3,4 | 1987 | 5.6 | 4.2 |
| A-201 | Early4 | 1998 | 6.2 | 4.2 |
| Calmati-201 | Early4 | 2001 | 5.4 | 3.9 |
1 - Average Stem rot score over the last four years where 0 = no damage and 10 =
plant killed
2 - Subjective rating of 1-5 where 1 = poor and 5 = excellent seedling vigor
3 - Milling quality and yield may be reduced by early planting in warmer areas
4 - Specialty varieties should not be grown unless arrangements have first been
made with a marketing agency
Comments for Public California Rice Varieties
2001
| Grain type | Comments |
| Short Grain | |
| S-102 | Very high yield potential, tow weeks earlier that S-201. Good resistance to blanking. Grain is 8% larger that S-201 and less chalky. Rough leaves and hulls, grain dries down rapidly during ripening. Susceptible to stem rot. |
| Medium Grain | |
| M-103 | Earliest medium grain, vigor less than M-202. Excellent resistance to blanking. Very good head and total milled rice yields. Moderate lodging and good yield potential. Alternative variety for M-202 in coldest rice areas and for late planting in warmer areas. |
| M-104 | Has potential as replacement for M-103 in San Joaquin Valley and as an alternative to M-202 in other cool rice areas. Improved seedling vigor, lodging resistance, and yield compared to M-103. Milling yields similar to M-103. Heads 8 to 10 days earlier than M-202. Early planting in warm areas could limit yield and quality. |
| M-202 | Very high yield potential. Moderate lodging potential. Long time favorite variety that threshes easily. |
| M-204 | Very high yield potential. Seedling vigor slightly less than M-202. Height 3 inches shorter and heading 3 days later than M-202. Better lodging resistance and improved total and head rice yields than M-202. Resistance to blanking similar to M-202. Threshes easily. Not recommended for Escalon, Natomas or other cool areas. |
| M-205 | Very high yield potential. Seedling vigor slightly lower than M-202. Height and heading like M-204. Improved milling yields relative to M-202. Blanking resistance similar to M-204. Area of primary adaptation west of Hwy 70 and north of Hwy 20. Not recommended for Escalon, Natomas or other cool areas. |
| Long Grain | |
| L-204 | High yield potential. Two days earlier than L-203. Resistant to lodging. Seedling vigor fair, may be affected by deep water. Improved head rice and cooking characteristics, better than L-202 and L-203. Avoid early draining (requires 40-45 days after 50% heading to mature) and harvest at 18-19% moisture to maximize milling yield. |
| L-205 | Newrex type, dry cooking long grain. High yield potential. Two days later than L-204. Resistant to lodging. More resistant to blanking than L-204. Seedling vigor fair. Seed size smaller than L-204. Similar milling yield to L-204. Avoid early draining (requires 40-45 days after 50% heading to mature) and harvest at 16-18% moisture to maximize milling yield. |
| Premium Quality | |
| M-401 | Premium quality medium grain rice with large kernels. Good yield potential but susceptible to blanking, lodging and damage from premature drainage. Use 20-25% less nitrogen than on other medium grain varieties. Best adapted to warmer areas. Milling yields lower than other medium grain varieties. |
| M-402 | Premium quality medium grain. Kernel size is smaller than M-401, much higher head rice potential. About 5-7 days earlier than M-401 with better straw strength. Adapted to warmer areas. |
| Calhikari-201 | Premium quality short grain developed for the Japanese premium short-grain market. Has very good seedling vigor. A semidwarf with much greater yield potential and resistance to lodging than Japanese varieties. Rough leaves and hulls. Cold delays maturity and increases blanking. Use low nitrogen to maximize market quality. |
| Specialty Rice | |
| Calmochi-101 | A sweet glutinous rice. Two weeks earlier than S-201. Excellent resistance blanking. has rough leaves and hulls, no awns. Grain dries down rapidly during ripening. |
| A-201 | Aromatic (popcorn aroma) long grain, eight days earlier than A-301. Moderate yield potential similar to L-202 and A-301. Becomes leafy under excessive nitrogen. Poor milling yield, use slower cylinder speed and harvest at 18-20% grain moisture. Air dry without heat to retain aroma. |
| Calmati-201 | A basmati type aromatic long grain. Moderate yield potential. Five days later than L-204. Pubescent leaves and hull. Milling yield is considerably higher than A-201. Very susceptible to blanking and should not be grown in cool areas. Excessive nitrogen and late planting will delay maturity and increase blanking. Harvest at 17-18% grain moisture. |