Nutritional specificity and quality properties of medicinal rice, 'Njavara'

摘要

Njavara is a type of medicinal rice indigenous to Kerala, India, with curative properties for circulatory, respiratory and digestive ailments. Field studies in 1995-96 assessed growth, yield, and nutrient content of grain and straw in the black- andgolden yellow-glumed plant types. There was an inverse relationship between yield and quality. The black-glumed plant type had a special capacity to absorb Mn and translocate it to the grain. This type had higher quality but with a very low productivity. The golden yellow-glumed plant type, though inferior in quality, was superior in yield, and did not have this Mn preference. There was a relationship between Mn accumulation and amino acid synthesis.