Rice Variety Profile for M-209
RES Rice Varieties
Variety: M-209
- Former ID: 08Y3269
- Year: 2015
Introduction
M-209 is a high yielding, early maturing, semi-dwarf, smooth hulled (glabrous), Calrose–type medium grain rice cultivar.  It was developed by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, Inc. (CCRRF) at the Rice Experiment Station (RES), Biggs, CA and released to growers in April 2015. M-209 is protected under the US Plant Protection Act, Title 5 (to only be sold as a class of certified seed) as well as a US Plant Utility Patent. M-209 is available exclusively to California rice growers, export of seed is prohibited, and use in genetic or breeding research requires a Material Transfer Agreement.
Pedigree and Breeding
Its pedigree is M-205/5/M-201/M7//M-201/3/M-202/4/M-204. M-205 is a high yielding, glabrous, early maturing Calrose variety released by RES in 2005 and adapted in warmer and more favorable rice growing areas in California. M-202 is a popular photoperiod insensitive, early maturing, cold tolerant, semi-dwarf medium grain released by the RES in 1985. M-201 was released in 1982, has short stature and early maturity while M7 is a late maturing, glabrous, short-statured medium grain released in 1977. M-204 was released in 1992 and is photoperiod insensitive, early maturing, glabrous, semi-dwarf medium grain variety. M7, M-201 and M-204 are no longer in commercial production. M-209 was tested in the 2010-14 University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) statewide tests under the experimental designation 08Y3269.
Agronomic Characteristics
Table 1 contains a summary of the agronomic data collected in the UCCE Statewide Yield Tests. Seedling vigor scores were similar to M-205 and M-206. M-209 heading averages 2 days earlier than M-205 but 6 days later than M-206. Its lodging % has been similar to     M-205 and less than M-206 and M-202. Overall statewide yield advantages for M-209 were 10, 5, and 2% over M-202, M-205, and M-206, respectively. Commercial seed production field yields ranged from 98 to 107 cwt/acre in 2015.
Nursery tests indicate that M-209 had comparable stem rot scores as M-205 and better reaction compared to M-202, M-206, and M-208. It has better reaction to aggregate sheath spot compared to M-206 and M-208. It has no blast resistance gene to the blast pathogen as M-202 and M-206. However, the field resistance of M-209 to blast is not known. Growers are recommended to bleach- treat seed for Bakanae. No marked difference in sensitivity to standard rice herbicides from the parent varieties has been observed, however commercial experience is limited.
Milling and Quality
Head rice yields and stability in a range of harvest moistures are superior to M-202 but slightly below M-206. Milling studies and commercial experience indicate that good head rice yields are seen in M-209 at optimum harvest moisture. However, it has not shown the same high milling yields as harvest moistures fall below 20% as observed in M-206 and M-105, and growers should strive to avoid harvesting M-209 at harvest moistures below 20%. The milled rice grains of M-209 are heavier (1000-grain =22.1 grams) and slightly longer (length=5.94 mm) compared to M-205 (21.4/5.87) and M-206 (21.3/5.70). M-209 physico-chemical properties are similar to other Calrose medium grains. It was evaluated by a number of mills and marketing organization and judged acceptable to the Calrose rice market.
M-209: Agronomic performance in UCCE Statewide Yield Tests 2010-2014
Area of Adaptation
Grain yield trend analysis indicates that M-209 is better suited in high-yielding locations with a high-input production system. Results from the San Joaquin location and cold greenhouse tests indicate that M-209 may suffer more from cold-induced blanking if grown in cooler rice areas, although it appears more blanking tolerant than M-205. This entry is intended in areas where M-205 and M-202 are grown and competitive in areas where    M-206 is grown, especially in more favorable rice growing environments.