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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #247653

Title: Total grain-arsenic and arsenic-species concentrations in diverse rice cultivars under flooded conditions

Author
item PILLAI, TUSHARA - Texas A&M University
item Yan, Wengui
item AGARMA, HESHAM - University Of Arkansas
item JAMES, WILLIAM - Texas A&M University
item IBRAHIM, AMIR - Texas A&M University
item GENTRY, TERRY - Texas A&M University
item McClung, Anna
item LOEPPERT, RICHARD - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2010
Publication Date: 9/1/2010
Citation: Pillai, T.R., Yan, W., Agarma, H.A., James, W.D., Ibrahim, A.M., Gentry, T.J., McClung, A.M., Loeppert, R.H. 2010. Total grain-arsenic and arsenic-species concentrations in diverse rice cultivars under flooded conditions. Crop Science. 50(1):2065-2075.

Interpretive Summary: Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population. Rice-grain arsenic (As) concentrations have received considerable attention because such a large population depends on rice as a staple food and As is toxic to both plants and animals in high concentration. Decreasing arsenic concentrations in rice grain is a desirable goal because of the potential detrimental impacts of As on plant growth and yield and its potential toxicity to humans. Diverse rice cultivars, including both indica and japonica subspecies, were grown in 2004, 2005 and 2007 in a uniform, moderate As-concentration, paddy soil under continuously flooded field conditions. The total grain-As (TGAs) and As-species concentrations and their relationships with plant growth parameters, e.g., heading date, plant height, and yield were assessed. Results from this study demonstrate a significant potential for lowering rice-grain As concentration through genotype selection and plant breeding.

Technical Abstract: Arsenic is not an essential element and can be toxic to both plants and animals in high concentration. Decreasing arsenic concentrations in all foodstuffs, including rice grain, is a desirable goal because of the potential detrimental impacts of As on plant growth and yield and its potential toxicity to humans. Diverse rice cultivars, including both indica and japonica subspecies, were grown in 2004, 2005 and 2007 in a uniform, moderate As-concentration, paddy soil under continuously flooded field conditions. The total grain-As (TGAs) and As-species concentrations and their relationships with plant growth parameters, e.g., heading date, plant height, and yield were assessed. The cultivars exhibited a considerable range in both TGAs and As-species concentrations. Lower grain-As concentrations were generally associated with early maturing and high yielding genotypes, but with some exceptions. As concentration and speciation were mostly dependent on genotype, but there were also a significant G x Y (genotype by year) interaction and Y effect that were likely impacted by yearly differences in environmental conditions such as temperature and local soil characteristics. The study indicates the significant potential for lowering rice-grain As concentration through genotype selection and plant breeding.