Cluster Analysis and Study of Quality Characteristics of 30 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotypes

In order to evaluate quality characteristics of 30 rice genotypes including improved، traditional and promising lines، a field experiment was undertaken at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University during 2009 cultivation season. Experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications and 13 quality characters were evaluated. Results showed significant difference among different genotypes for all evaluated traits. For all evaluated traits، cluster analysis between genotypes based on Ward،s method indicated that genotypes can be classified into five cluster so that cluster I had genotypes such as Tarom Mahalli، 8803 and 8802 promising lines، cluster II and Pi-1 and 8802 lines، cluster III and Ghaem cultivar and 8804 and 8223 promising lines. Cluster IV and 8811 and 64410 promising lines and Tarom Deilamani and cluster V had Bahar and 8209 and 8403 and 8228 promising lines. Mean camparison of clusters according to Duncan،s test showed that maximum yield performance (4. 9 ton. ha-1) was belonged to cluster V، then clusters I and IV had the best performance and the minimum head rice yield was recorded in cluster III. In terms of amylose content، the highest amount (26. 20%) was observed in cluster V. According to Iranian consumers which prefer 22 percent amylase content could be introduced genotypes in cluster I and II as a medium amylase and quality genotypes. Furthermore، genotypes of cluster III and cluster V showed the highest and lowest amount of gel consistency GC respectively. The optimum amount of GC (<60 nm) was recorded for genotypes in cluster II and III.