2012 Volume 3 Issue 2 Pages 140-145
This study aimed to identify and evaluate appropriate introduced and improved sloping upland rice cultivars for the northern region of Lao PDR (Bokeo, Houphanh, Luangnamtha, Luangprabang, Oudomxai, Phongsaly, Sayabuly, and Xiengkhuang). The study was designed to detect genotype by environment for seven cultivars: 1) Makhinsoung, 2) Nok, 3) Non, 4) Laboun, 5) IR55423-1, 6) B6144F-MR-6 and 7) IR60080-46A in the farmer’s field with farmer practices and farmer’s preferences analysis. The results showed that both introduced and improved rice varieties consistently produced higher grain yield compared to local varieties, from 157 to 381 kg/ha over years that the experiments were conducted. Local varieties yielded an average of 1700 kg/ha. Most of the varieties were suitable for Oudomxai, Sayabuly and Xiengkhuang provinces. Some varieties were specifically appropriate for some provinces: Non (Bokeo), IR60080-46A (Houaphanh and Luangnamtha). Yield data of all tested varieties were generally significantly different from that of local variety. However, grain yield differences of entries in Luangprabang and Phongsaly were not significant, but almost all the entries cultivars produced more grain than local checks.
