A new rice cultivar with good eating quality (low amylose) and low glutelin protein, "LGC soft"

Summary We developed a low amylose, low glutelin rice cultivar, "LGCsoft", at the National Agricultural Research Center for the Western Region (formerly Chugoku National Experimental Station) in collaboration with the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences in 2002. "LGCsoft" was bred from the progeny of the crossing between "NM391" and "LGC1". The cross was made in 1992 to improve eating quality of "LGC1" with low content of glutelin in its seed protein compared with other ordinary rice cultivars. We aimed to breed a cultivar for low protein diet patients with chronic renal failure. A selected promising line was named "Chugokul73" in the F sub7 generation to be submitted to local adaptability trials at various locations. "Chugokul73" was registered as "Paddy rice Norin 381" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and was named "LGCsoft" in 2002. "LGCsoft" has the same heading date of "LGC1" and "Nihonmasari". Its culm length is about 8 cm shorter. Its panicle length is equal or slightly shorter. Its panicle number is equal to that of "LGC1" and "Nihonmasari", and its plant type is a partial panicle number type. Its grain size is moderate. It does not have high yielding ability; its yield is about 10% lower than "LGC1". Total protein content is slightly higher than either "LGC1" or "Nihonmasari"; it is comparable to that of "Koshihikari". Content of glutelin, which is an easily digestible protein, is the same as that of "LGC1". According to low amylose traits, white turbidity rice is observed frequently, grain quality is moderate. However, eating quality of "LGCsoft" is better than that of "Nipponbare". This variety has tolerance to lodging, true resistance gene, Pia, and moderate field resistance to rice blast. Viviparity is slightly hard. Judging from its maturation, "LGCsoft" can be grown in regions from Kanto to western Japan.