Bred by MARDI
MARDI · MR219 · 2001
Tall traditionalillustrativeMR219
Plant height——
Grain load per hill——
Lodged plants——
Yield per hectare——
Crops per year——
MR219's height on the postSoil box, bunds, post and calendar wheelFlood water, 7 cm deepMARDI declared MR219 in 2001. Older tall varieties grew 140–150 cm high on soft, hollow culms; once the panicles filled, wind and rain pushed them over (lodging) into the flood water, where the grain rots, sprouts or cannot be cut. MR219 is a semi-dwarf, about 56–90 cm, with stiff culms and short, erect leaves, so a heavy panicle bends its head but not the plant. It yields about 6–8 t/ha and matures in about 105–111 days from sowing, short enough for two crops a year in the granary areas, main season and off season. On the calendar wheel (January at the top) the gold arcs are MR219's two crops, main season from early September and off season from early March; the grey arc is the tall variety's single crop. Plants, soil and water are drawn to scale (1 unit = 1 cm; ruler ticks every 5 cm). The tall variety's height, 150-day season, 2.5 t/ha and its lodging are illustrative, and so are the grain loads, from yield at 16 hills/m² (25 × 25 cm).