Rice Breeding #1: Traditional Rice Varieties in Aceh

Aceh is one of the provinces in Indonesia. The region at the western tip of Indonesia is the main rice producing area in Sumatra. Aceh was once successful with its traditional rice. However, at present Aceh's traditional paddy can not compete with modern paddy because of irrigation, economic and late harvest times. Although this traditional Acehnese paddy has many advantages.

(Map of Aceh Province)

(Map of Sumatera Island)

(Map of Indonesia)

As an area where one of its economic bases relies on the agricultural sector, it is undoubtedly one of the Aceh Government's priority programs is the realization of food security and value-added agriculture products in this area. With the target of making Aceh a national food barn, then Aceh's production of paddy commodities needs to be improved.

(traditional farming culture)

The Aceh government through its programs continues to provide the people with the impetus to create the survival of food crops seeds in order to increase agricultural productivity and productivity through the use of superior seed quality.

(Me and PhD research project in the past in one of southeast asia countries)

In Aceh, paddy farmers plant modern and traditional rice as a commodity of daily economic and nutrition. Traditional varieties are usually cultivated because they have good adaptability in certain areas, especially in typical land (location-specific), where not many of the best-developed national varieties are planted in the soil, which until now still continue to be planted / farmer. These local varieties are characterized by good adaptability in certain locations, so this variety also has good productivity.

(cultivation of rice seed from bird pest attack)

Some of the advantages of traditional rice varieties are stable production, endurance in pests and diseases, endurance in environmental stresses such as drought and resistance to water immersion, and adaptability in certain types of soil (resistant to acidic soil environments) and preferred rice flavor.

Over the last few years, paddy farmers in Aceh began to leave traditional / local rice varieties because of its small production, having less profitable tree morphology and too much harvesting. In the past, traditional rice harvested late did not have a problem, but during this time when other varieties had been quickly harvested then traditional rice growth and development would be affected. There are several traditional / local rice varieties that are often planted in Aceh, among others, Cantek Manis Rice , Cantek Lembayung, Cantek Puteh, Mata Ciecem, Uleu Keumeunyan, Si Gayo, and Manek Roo.

Most of these rice are newly harvested after five to six months, and have a good taste. They are commonly grown in district Pidie, South Aceh, West Aceh and other Aceh regions. In addition there is also rice varieties Sigupai, in the western region of Aceh. This variety also has good taste and fast harvest. In addition there are varieties of Manyam Roo which are usually planted in Bireuen area. But this harvest is quite long, up to 7 months. Likewise with Rinteek Karah rice varieties commonly found in eastern Aceh and Bireuen, the harvesting period is long enough.

(the appearance of traditional rice is very high)

In the middle of Aceh, there are varieties paddy Sibontok, Padi Merah and Padi Putih often referred to as Padi Alas, all of them have a harvest period of up to 7 months.

Regards
@ijas.jaswar