MTU 1010 (Cottondora Sannalu)

MTU 1010, marketed as Cottondora Sannalu, is a mega-rice variety released in 2000 by the Andhra Pradesh Rice Research Station, Maruteru, under Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University. It is one of the most widely grown rice cultivars in India and is the reference variety against which newer Telangana releases are positioned.

Key characteristics

Marketing name: Cottondora Sannalu
Released by: APRRS Maruteru, ANGRAU, 2000
Duration: ~120 days (short)
Plant height: ~108 cm (semi-dwarf)
Grain: long slender
Yield potential: 6-7 t/ha (40-45 q/ha)
Resistance profile: blast resistance and brown planthopper tolerance

Cultivation

MTU 1010 is grown in transplanted (Transplanting Paddy) kharif and rabi systems across India, with particularly heavy adoption in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. The short duration and semi-dwarf habit allow it to be slotted into double-cropping systems and into the leading edge of the kharif planting window where long-duration BPT 5204 (Bpt 5204) cannot fit.

Pest and disease profile

The variety carries field-level resistance to rice blast (Paddy Blast Disease, Rice Blast) and tolerance to brown planthopper (Brown Planthopper Paddy). Recent ICAR marker-assisted backcross work has further improved the line by stacking Xa, Pi and Bph genes onto the MTU 1010 genetic background, retaining its agronomy while widening its disease resistance spectrum.

Adoption and use

MTU 1010 is reported to occupy more than 12% of India's national rice area, making it one of the largest single-variety paddies in the country. Most newer Telangana releases - Jgl 18047, Jgl 24423, Knm 118 Kunaram Sannalu, Knm 1638 - position themselves explicitly as higher-yielding alternatives to MTU 1010 with similar or better grain class and disease resistance.

References

MTU 1010 (Cottondora Sannalu). RKB Odisha (ANGRAU/ICAR).
Marker assisted pedigree breeding-based improvement of MTU 1010. PMC (ICAR).