Production status, agro-biological characteristics, and resistance to pests and diseases of Sa Huynh sticky rice in Quang Ngai province

Abstract

Sa Huynh sticky rice (Nep Ngu) is a local specialty variety and is considered by Quang Ngai province as a plant genetic source needed to be investigated and developed. We conducted this study in the Autumn crop of 2022 and the Winter-Spring crop of 2022–2023 in Pho Chau and Pho Thanh communes, Duc Pho town. We described 29 indicators of morphological characteristics and evaluated the growth, development, yield, and quality of the variety. Rice grains have a light aroma (two points); the amylose content is 1.89–1.93%, and the protein content is 8.07–8.14%. The yield is 3.2 tons/ha in the Autumn crop and 4 tons/ha in the Winter-Spring crop. This variety is less susceptible to pests and diseases; the cultivation in the Autumn crop is more infected than in the Winter-Spring crop. The variety is grown mainly in the Winter-Spring crop with an area of more than 70 ha. Farmers keep the seeds themselves or exchange them with each other and sow at a dose of 100–110 kg/ha. The amount of fertilizer for 1 ha consists of 5 tons of manure, 90 kg N, 50 kg P₂O₅, and 60 kg K₂O. This information is essential to develop appropriate technical measures to conserve, exploit and develop this local specialty sticky rice variety.