A rice variety that packs more protein to match wheat has been released by Karnataka’s University of Agricultural Sciences - Bengaluru.
The rice strain, which offers an option to those who are not comfortable switching over to wheat for supplementary protein, is now available for commercial cultivation.
The high-protein variety has been under development at UAS-B for nearly 10 years, with Rs. 92 lakh in funding from the Union Department of Biotechnology.
Dr. Shailaja Hittalmani, who headed the research team that worked on it, told The Hindu that the strain has 12 to13 per cent protein content, which is higher than the 6 to 7.5 per cent in normal rice. Wheat has about 14 per cent of protein.
Using conventional breeding, researchers raised the amount of lysine, an amino acid that helps synthesize proteins, by about 20 per cent, among other benefits. “The higher protein leads to a decrease in starch, benefiting diabetics,” Dr. Hittalmani, who heads the Genetics and Plant Breeding Department of the University, said.
Easier to digest
Moreover, the rice protein is easier to digest compared to what comes from non-vegetarian sources. “It is particularly good for children and the elderly,” she says.
No extra cost
For the farmer, the new entrant is a lucrative option that can be grown like any other cereal, without extra costs. The health benefits of a ‘stronger’ rice, however, are not widely known and there is a need to create awareness.
The same research team has also released high-zinc and high-iron types, which have double the normal level of the two elements.
