Penanaman Padi Merah Tempatan, MRM 16 dalam Keadaan Tanah Semi-Aerob dan Aerob dapat Mengurangkan Pengambilan Arsenik

Abstract

Red rice is classified as specialty rice due to its coloured grain. Red colour that surrounded the outer layer of pericarp showed the existence of anthocyanin in red rice grain. However, heavy metal like arsenic in red rice plant become major concern in human health especially so in babies. This is because red rice normally used as a key raw material in the manufacture of infant cereals. In order to overcome this problem, study on effects of water regime on arsenic concentration in local red rice, MRM 16 was conducted during main season 2007/2008 and off season 2008. The water regimes tested were fully flooded, semi-aerobic and aerobic soil conditions. Result showed that arsenic concentration in the soil and grain was markedly highest when MRM 16 was cultivated under fully flooded in both seasons. However, concentration of arsenic in the soil and grain samples was the lower when the red rice was cultivated under semi-aerobic and aerobic soil conditions. Arsenic concentration in the soil and grain samples showed positive relationship. However, analysis of grain yield showed that the yield performance of MRM 16 was better when the soil was fully flooded or maintained semi-aerobically.