BPT 5204 (Samba Mahsuri)

BPT 5204, marketed as Samba Mahsuri or Bapatla Ponni, is a medium-duration fine medium-slender rice variety bred at the Agricultural Research Station, Bapatla, under Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University (now ANGRAU) and released in 1986. It remains the dominant fine-grain paddy variety of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and is the benchmark against which newer fine-grain releases such as Drr Dhan 75 and Rnr 15048 are positioned.

Key characteristics

Alternative names: Samba Mahsuri, Bapatla Ponni
Released by: ARS Bapatla, ANGRAU, 1986
Duration: ~130-150 days (medium)
Grain: fine, medium-slender, prized cooking and milling quality

Cultivation

The variety is grown predominantly in transplanted, puddled-irrigated systems across the Krishna-Godavari and Telangana command areas. It fits the kharif/main season and parts of the rabi cycle wherever water is assured. Standard nursery practices (Paddy Nursery Management) and manual or mechanical transplanting (Transplanting Paddy) apply.

Pest and disease profile

BPT 5204 is susceptible to bacterial leaf blight (Bacterial Leaf Blight Paddy), rice blast (Paddy Blast Disease, Rice Blast) and brown planthopper (Brown Planthopper Paddy, Brown Planthopper Paddy 2), and the line's tall stature predisposes it to lodging at the panicle stage. Booting and panicle-initiation nutrient and spray windows are accordingly critical (Paddy Panicle Stage Management, Paddy Panicle Stage Fertilization).

Adoption and use

BPT 5204 occupies roughly one million hectares, or about a quarter of the combined paddy area of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Its market preference for fine, slender, easy-cooking grain anchors retail rice trade in south India, and modern lines such as Improved Samba Mahsuri and Drr Dhan 75 have been bred specifically to retain its grain type while adding disease resistance and lodging tolerance.

References

Notable Achievements of Agricultural Research Station, Bapatla. ANGRAU.
Improved Samba Mahsuri. Wikipedia.