160
nificant negative correlation with myristic acid.
Negative significant correlation was observed be-
tween linoleic acid and all other fatty acids except
linolenic and nervonic acid. Palmitic acid also
showed significant negative correlation with Oleic
and linoleic acids. The data exhibited negative cor-
relations between polyunsaturated fatty acids and
saturated or monounsaturated.
Many important rice landraces with diverse genetic
composition are grown and consumed all over the
world. However, modern hybrid rice varieties have
replaced the more nutritious and diverse rice vari-
eties leading to a decline in nutrient diversity within
rice species. Decline in rice diversity can adversely
affects the nutrient security of the people in rice
consuming populations where nutrient diversity in
rice has been fundamental to the food and nutrient
security of the people.
Modern biotechnology is being explored for im-
provement of nutrients and its bioavailability in rice,
however, the purpose of using genetic engineering
for food purpose is still being debated. Fortification
of foods with micronutrients may have short term
gains but for long term, biofortification strategy tak-
ing advantage of the consistent daily consumption of
large amount of rice by all family members provides
a feasible means of reaching the malnourished pop-
ulations in remote areas. Increasing protein and mi-
cronutrient content like iron and zinc content in
brown rice by 20% would mean a substantial in-
crease in the protein and micronutrient intake espe-
cially in rice consuming country like India.Conclusion
The study has revealed diverse rice varieties with
wide range of nutrients within rice cultivars in
India. The various agro climatic regions in India of-
fers immense opportunity for proper selection of
rice cultivars for certain regions which combine
high mineral levels with low levels of inhibitors for
improved bioavailability in order to combat mi-
cronutrient deficiencies in the country. The impor-
tance of nutrient diversity in rice is beingunderstood now with the realization that biodiver-
sity is fundamental to food and nutrient security of
the people. With the sharp increase in lifestyle-re-
lated health issues and diseases, scientists should
look at quality traits that place greater focus on
their antioxidant properties, glycemic index, and
mineral content in the vast pool of indigenous rice
varieties available in the country.Acknowledgements
The technical assistance of K. Subhash, P.S.
Prashanthi and O. Kiran Kumar are gratefully ac-
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