The Physical and Chemical Properties of the Grains of Some Chinese Rice Varieties with a Recorded Brown Rice Yield of around 1000 gm^-2 in Yunnan Province, China:

On the Suitability for Sake Brewing

Abstract

The high-yielding capacity of some Chinese rice varieties with more than 1000 gm^-2 of brown rice yield was verified and the process of yield formation examined in Yunnan Province, China. Through our research, it became clear that the high efficiency in the use of absorbed nitrogen during the formation of the rice grain contributed to their high-yielding capacity. To explore the potential of these high-yielding rice varieties other than for daily food, we evaluated their suitability for Japanese sake brewing. The physical and chemical propert ies of Yu-Za 29, ChiJing 9 and He-Xi 24 rice, harvested in Yunnan Province, were evaluated for the brewing of sake and compared with that of Nipponbare (one of Japan’s high -yielding rice varieties), Yamadanishiki and Iwai (two white -core rice varieties that are used exclusively for brewing sake), all harvested in Japan. As a result, it became clear that Chi-Jing 9 was more suitable for brewing sake than Nipponbare. Moreover, sake brewed from this variety has a better aroma and taste than that brewed from Nipponbare.