Setayesh, The Newly Introduced Cold-Tolerant Rice Variety
The Rice Research Institute of Iran (RRII) introduced the new cold-tolerant rice variety- Setayesh. Dr. Hossieni, Director -General of Rice Research Institute of Iran (RRII) about the Naming Ceremony of Setayesh (Newly Released Rice) said: Setayesh officially was introduced by the Director-General of Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Dr. Bazargan at the 69 meeting of the committee of variety introducing.
Evaluation of adaptability and grain yield stability of Setayesh investigated through a ten years research project. Ninety-seven promising lines were evaluated in the cold region of Iran, Kohgiluyeh, and Boyer-Ahmad Province. This rice variety introducing project is implemented by RRII in collaboration with the agricultural and natural research enter of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. Eng. Roham Mohtashami (senior researcher) was the project leader of the Setayesh rice variety.
The most important morphological and physiological characters of this new rice variety are cold-tolerant, reasonable high grain yield (7.7 tons per hectare), short duration (earliness), high cooking and eating grain quality, resistance to blast disease and lodging, synchronized maturity, resistance to shattering and high conversion ratio. These unique characters give a clear advantage to this cultivar compared to previously released rice varieties for cold and semi-cold climatic zones of Iran. Setayesh is the 55th rice cultivar that was introduced by the Rice Research Institute of Iran (RRII) of the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO).
The cold-tolerant character (particularly early season cold temperature) and resistance to blast disease distinct this newly introduced rice cultivar –Setayesh- from the other cold-tolerant rice cultivars.
Setayesh is selected from the international germplasm of cold-tolerant rice (International Rice Cold Tolerance Nursery (IRCTN)), and is a suitable rice cultivar for cold and temperate- cold mountainous regions.
The objective of the Rice Research Institute of Iran is to introduce a wide variety of rice cultivars to increase the rice germplasm Diversity, conservation, and utilization of national and international genetic resources. Therefore, RRII hit two marks with one arrow, release the better-improved rice cultivar to the paddy farmers in mountainous areas (with available water), and increase the diversity of the rice germplasm of Iran.