Identificazione di varietà di riso appropriate all'impiego in agricoltura biologica

Within the frame of an experimental project on organic farming, cultivation trials were performed to characterize rice varietal response in three different farms located in Costanzana (VC), Sartirana (PV) and Mede Lomellina (PV). Selected varieties included all the recently developed and traditional merceological classes. For the round rice group, three different varieties were chosen on the basis of final utilization: Brio, Cerere and Selenio. Four varieties for the long A group were chosen, considering the different utilization: Loto and Opale, utilized for the production of parboiled rice and two cultivars for the national market: Ulisse and Volano. Three varieties of the long B group were finally tested: Arsenal, Ellebi and Salvo. The experimentation revealed an average yield slightly above 7 t/ha, which is basically at the same level as those recorded under conventional farming conditions, while the higher level of yield was observed in Mede, where the average yield was above 9 t/ha with Selenio and Opale being the best performing varieties with more than 10 t/ha of yield. The level of production was instead lower in the other two locations of the trials. Milling yield was high in all the locations with values above 60%. In conclusion, cultivation trials under organic farming provided information of good performances for the varieties Brio and Selenio within the round group, for Opale within the long A group for parboiled rice, for Ulisse in the long A group for national market and for Arsenal within the long B group.