DEVELOPMENT OF NEW RICE VARIETY DTM126 FOR ACID SULFATE SOIL AREA OF THE MEKONG DELTA

Acid sulfate soil and seasonal flooding are the major issues to rice production in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, especially the Plain of Reeds (Dong Thap Muoi area). Therefore, the development of new rice varieties adapted to these affected areas has been the focus of rice breeders in the region. DTM126 is a new rice variety developed by the Dong Thap Muoi Agricultural Research Center for the above objective. The DTM126 variety came out from a cross between two varieties DS2001 and MTL250, using the pedigree breeding method and it went through a series of yield testing trials in 6 cropping seasons from 2013 to 2015. The analyzed data revealed that this variety outperformed existing varieties in the area as well as its parents with the following major features: short duration (86-95 days), tolerant to acid sulfate soil, good agronomic characteristics, high yield (up to 9 tons/ha), moderate amylose content (19-21%), and good grain quality for export. It is only slightly infected by brown planthoppers and blast disease. DTM126 was officially approved as a national rice variety for the Southern provinces of the Mekong Delta by the Decision No. 639/QD-BNN-TT, dated on 23 February 2018. This variety is suitable for triple rice cropping areas, acid sulfate soil and it is recommended to replace old varieties.