Abstract
In order to raise highly palatable rice cultivars in the Huabei region, palatability characteristics were compared between 10 cultivars grown in Tianjin district(Tianjin cultivars)and 10 new and old Japanese cultivars (Japanese cultivars). The score of overall eating-quality in the sensory test on cooked rice was the highest in the Japanese cultivar Koshihikari and the lowest in the Tianjin cultivar Jinyou 9701. The average value of overall eating-quality of Tianjin cultivars was -0.42 and that of Japanese cultivars was -0.04. By using the score of overall eating-quality, all cultivars were classified into 3 groups i.e., H group(≩+0.35), M group(+0.35∼-0.35)and L group(≨-0.35). Among the Japanese cultivars, Koshihikari, Kinuhikari and Okuhikari belonged to the H group, Shinriki, Aikoku and Norin 18 to the L group, and the other cultivars to the M group. In Tianjin cultivars, only Huayu 13 belonged to the H group. Jinzhu 1, Jindao 779 and Jinyou 29 belonged to the M grouo, and all others to the L group. There were no significant differences among groups in amylose content, protein content and maximum viscosity. Amylose contents and protein contents of Jindao 779 and Huayu 13 were close to those of Koshihikari and/or Kinuhikari. From these results, it was concluded that although the Tianjin cultivars had satisfactory physicochemical properties, they wae inferior in overall eating-quality in the sensory test. This may be because only a few Tianjing cultivars possess a low amylose content, low protein content and high maximum viscosity in combination. However, Jindao 779 and Huayu 13 possessed comprehensively good characteristics, and these cultivars are expected to be very useful breeding materials for raising new palatable cultivars in the Huabei region.
