Assessment of nutritive and antioxidant properties of some indigenous pigmented hill rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars of Assam

Fourteen pigmented hill rice cultivars along with a non-pigmented one were studied for ascertaining the extent of their nutritional and genetic diversity. Moisture contents of the fourteen pigmented hill rice cultivars ranged from 7.49 to 10.10% along w.ith the contents (% dry weight) of nutrients viz., crude fat (4.37–5.27) and crude protein (9.27–11.42). The corresponding range of values for the contents (mg/100g dry weight) of microminerals Zn and Fe were form 3.42 to 4.28 and from 3.21 to 4.18 respectively. The pigmented germplasm had anthocyanin content (mg cyanidine 3-O glucoside/100g) ranging from 3.58 to 7.86, total phenolic content (mg GAE/100 g)from 67.89 to 89.43, flavonoid content (mg QE/100g)from 57.75 to 78.74 and antioxidant activity from 19.56 to 29.29%. Analysis of variance indicated that the varietal effect on each of the parameters studied was highly significant. There was significant correlation amongst the different parameters of the rice genotypes analysed. Results of the biochemical screening of these cultivars may lead to selection of promising candidates that can be used for developing improved lines in future breeding programmes.