Breeding of New Rice Cultivar “Sanukiyoimai” for Locally Brewed Sake in Kagawa Prefecture by Industry-Academy-Government Cooperation and its Characteristics

Abstract

A new brewers’ rice variety “Sanukiyoimai” was bred by cooperation of industry, academy and government in Kagawa prefecture (brewing cooperative, agricultural cooperative, faculty of agriculture in Kagawa university and agricultural experimental station in Kagawa prefecture), and registered in 2009. “Sanukiyoimai” produced by a cross between “Ooseto” and “Yamadanishiki” had a higher number of panicles, higher yield, larger 1000-grain weight and lower protein content in grain than those in “Ooseto”. Also “Sanukiyoimai” had the property of rice for sake brewing intermediate between “Ooseto” and “Yamadanishiki”, and was estimated highly in respect of good smell and mild taste compared with “Ooseto” and “Yamadanishiki” in the sensory test of sake. Therefore, “Sanukiyoimai” could be a promising variety of rice for sake brewed locally in Kagawa prefecture.