Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station offers free computer-assisted rice sorting to help farmers select high-quality rice
By Assistant Research Fellow Lin Tai-yu
"A computer can pick potatoes too?!" That familiar advertising line needs an update. The Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station has introduced the most advanced rice quality analysis system, using a computer free of charge to score your rice in a beauty contest, and based on the rice quality analysis results it provides reference for improving your cultivation techniques and fertilizer management, so the good rice you produce will be even more beautiful.
So how exactly does this rice beauty contest work? Through various of the most advanced high-efficiency testing instruments from Japan, scoring is carried out against several rice quality indicators, including grain protein content, moisture content, amylose, the appearance quality of white rice, head rice rate, and the physical properties and eating quality of cooked rice, so that every grain of rice can be fully inspected and analyzed, making the grading and quality testing of rice more precise and more objective.
The rice beauty contest can serve as a reference for cultivation methods
Is the rice beauty contest meaningful and necessary? Rice quality analysis and testing can not only immediately reveal whether a submitted sample of rice is good or bad, but can also be used as an important indicator for adjusting cultivation. The eating quality of white rice is closely related to field cultivation management; for example, when pests and diseases are more serious, the grain filling and appearance worsen, which in turn affects the taste and texture of the cooked rice. Fertilizer management, meanwhile, is closely tied to grain protein content and amylose content. If the test results show protein content that is too high, then fertilizer application must be considered for reduction and adjustment.
Therefore, through the rice quality analysis results from different crop seasons, field cultivation management techniques can be reviewed and improved year by year, applying the right remedy to the causes of poor performance and effectively raising rice quality.
Previously, the quality of rice could only be judged by rice researchers based on the appearance of white rice and the way the cooked rice tasted, and the manpower and time required for such lengthy evaluation were considerable. The Hualien Station now provides free rice quality testing with the most advanced computerized instruments, raising the service efficiency and quality of rice quality analysis, and it is hoped that this can provide farmers with a reference for improving field cultivation management techniques and raising rice quality.
Farmers interested in applying for the rice quality testing service should provide 1 kg of dried paddy rice per sample, write the farmer's name, address, contact telephone number and rice variety on the packaging bag, and deliver (or mail) it to the Rice Quality Laboratory of the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station. The station will mail (or telephone about) the rice quality test report immediately after the analysis is completed, and dedicated staff will provide guidance and explanation based on the analysis results. If you have any questions, please call 03-8521108 ext. 340.
