Growth Duration and Yield of Traditional Maroon Rice Varieties Studied

Jenn Hoskins
31st July, 2024

Growth Duration and Yield of Traditional Maroon Rice Varieties Studied

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study focused on Maroon rice landraces cultivated by descendants of enslaved Africans in Suriname and French Guiana
  • Maroon rice landraces yielded an average of 1665 kg/ha, significantly higher than previously assumed yields of 700-1000 kg/ha
  • Commercial rice cultivars yielded between 625 and 1205 kg/ha in the same traditional farming systems, partly due to bird predation
Rice, the most consumed cereal worldwide, has two domesticated species: Asian rice (Oryza sativa) and African rice (Oryza glaberrima). While commercial rice cultivars, predominantly Asian rice, are selected primarily for high yields, traditional landraces often prioritize other traits such as resistance to stress factors and varying maturation times. Recent research by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center has provided new insights into the performance of Maroon rice landraces, cultivated by the descendants of enslaved Africans in Suriname and French Guiana[1]. Maroon communities maintain a rich diversity of rice landraces, which they categorize based on maturation time: short, medium, and long. Historical accounts suggested that these landraces had low yields, ranging from 700 to 1000 kg/ha. However, their performance in traditional farming systems had never been thoroughly investigated. This study followed the growth and harvest of 28 Maroon rice landraces and two commercial cultivars in Maroon farmer fields, employing traditional farming methods at three different locations. The findings were striking. Maroon rice landraces yielded an average of 1665 kg/ha, with some achieving up to 2600 kg/ha, all without the use of agrochemicals or machinery. In contrast, commercial cultivars yielded between 625 and 1205 kg/ha, partly due to bird predation. The maturation times of Maroon rice varied between 110 and 183 days, showing significant overlap among the three maturation categories. This study underscores the importance of evaluating Maroon rice performance within traditional farming systems. These landraces were selected and optimized for these specific environments, which likely contributed to their higher yields compared to commercial cultivars. This challenges the previous assumption that all Maroon landraces inherently had low yields. The research also ties into earlier findings on the importance of low-input sustainable rice cultivation. A study evaluated 472 rice genotypes, identifying over 100 landraces with relatively higher yields under low nitrogen conditions[2]. This is significant as it highlights the potential of traditional landraces to perform well even in nutrient-poor soils, which aligns with the Maroon rice's ability to thrive without agrochemicals. Additionally, the historical context of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) cultivation by enslaved Africans and their descendants in the Americas provides a deeper understanding of the cultural and agricultural heritage preserved by Maroon communities[3]. African rice was introduced during the slave trade and cultivated for decades before being overshadowed by Asian rice due to mechanical milling devices. Despite this, African rice continues to be grown for food and ritual purposes, maintaining its cultural significance. In conclusion, the study by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center reveals that Maroon rice landraces, when grown in traditional farming systems, can achieve high yields without modern agricultural inputs. This finding not only challenges previous assumptions about their productivity but also highlights the potential of traditional landraces in sustainable agriculture. The research aligns with earlier studies on low-input rice cultivation and underscores the rich agricultural heritage preserved by Maroon communities.

AgricultureSustainabilityPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Yield and growth duration of Maroon rice landraces measured in traditional settings

Published 30th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-024-02093-1

Related Studies

2) Identification of rice landraces with promising yield and the associated genomic regions under low nitrogen.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27484-0

3) African Rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.): Lost Crop of the Enslaved Africans Discovered in Suriname.

Journal: Economic botany, Issue: Vol 64, Issue 1, Mar 2010


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