Characterization of Landraces of rice from Eastern India

For the establishment of the distinctness, a set of 51 landraces of rice were characterized for 46 characters following standard Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) testing guidelines for three seasons. Out of 51 varieties studied, 27 were found to be distinctive on the basis of 22 essential and 24 additional characters. The present study will be useful for breeders, researchers and farmers to identify valuable germplasm and their conservation as well as utilization in rice improvement as well as also to seek protection under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act.