Rice · Rice · Short entry
MR219
A high-yielding Malaysian variety from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), released in 2001 and bred for direct seeding. It was planted in about 90 % of Malaysia's granary areas for years and stayed in demand for two decades, until it became vulnerable to disease and its seed production stopped in 2022.
The granary workhorse
MARDI released MR219 in 2001. It is described as the first variety developed for the direct-seeding method, and for years it was planted in about 90 % of the country's granary areas. MARDI's own account groups it with MR84, MR232 and MR253 as varieties averaging about 6–8 t/ha, and says it was popular for its high yield, lasted for 20 years and was still requested by farmers. A 2023 report quoted a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia researcher saying that it became vulnerable to diseases over time and that its production stopped in 2022, although some farmers kept planting it.
Because it yields well but does not lengthen much on cooking, MR219 has served as the recipient parent in crosses with Basmati 370 and Mahsuri Mutant aimed at high kernel elongation. In that work it had the highest amylose of the three parents, 24.63 %.
How it connects
Rice
- related Basmati 370
