Morphological performance of local upland rice accessions from West Bangka for germplasm conservation

The genetic diversity of upland rice in West Bangka plays a crucial role in food security and germplasm conservation. This study aimed to identify the morphological characteristics of upland rice accessions from West Bangka. The research involved identifying seven local rice accessions from West Bangka and was conducted from March to July 2024. This study employed survey methods and field observations using Purposive Random Sampling based on type or accession, and data analysis was carried out through experimental methods. Data collection involved observing the morphology of the upland rice plants qualitatively and quantitatively. Data analyses were performed using variability tests. Local upland rice accessions in West Bangka Regency showed morphological diversity as indicated by the value of the broad variability in leaf width, leaf blade length, seed width, and seed thickness, while other traits showed narrow variability. The wide morphological diversity in certain characters showed that local accessions of upland rice in the West Bangka Regency had good genetic potential for utilization in plant breeding programs. Keywords: genetic resources; morphology; biodiversity conservation; agronomy; genetic variation