Effects of mycorrhiza biofertilizer on anthocyanin contents and yield of various red rice genotypes under aerobic irrigation systems

Abstract

Abstract Red color in red rice kernels is because of anthocyanins, making red rice to have high health values. Mycorrhizas are reported to affect anthocyanin contents of other crops. This research aimed to examine the effects of mycorrhiza biofertilizer on grain anthocyanin contents and yield of various promising lines of red rice under aerobic irrigation systems, by conducting field experiment in Beleke, West Lombok, Indonesia, from March to July 2018, in Split Plot design with three blocks and two treatment factors, namely red rice genotypes as main plots (G04, G10, G15, G21) and AMF bio-fertilizer as sub-plots (M0= without, M1= with biofertilizer application). Results of data analysis using ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test indicated that anthocyanin contents and almost all yield components were significantly higher on red rice supplied with AMF biofertilizer than without AMF, while those variables were mostly non-significantly different between red rice genotypes, except for 100 grain weight. Despite no interaction effects, there was a significantly positive correlation between anthocyanin contents and harvest biomass weight on red rice fertilized with AMF biofertilizers, but not on those receiving no AMF, which indicates positive effects of AMF in increasing harvest biomass and grain anthocyanins of those red rice genotypes.