Domsiah ( fa, دم سیاه; also spelled domesiah) is an Iranian variety of
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
. It is a long-grain rice, with a black spot on one end, which gives it the name, which is
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
meaning "black end". It is cultivated mainly in the
Gilan province of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
.
Domsiah rice is related to
basmati
Basmati, , is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. rice.
Domsiah is especially valued for its aroma, which is more expressed than other basmati-type rices, and for its ability to end up as a fluffy, flaky and very light but tasty substance as basis for other ingredients of a meal.
Research is trying to develop High Yielding Varieties (HYV) which could eventually replace Domsiah and help farmers obtain 5-7 tons per hectare; however, on the Iranian market quality goes before quantity so farmers can earn more money by cultivating Domsiah yielding only 2 - 2.5 tons per hectare.
Researchers and scientists have not succeeded in bringing forth varieties which are resistant to fungi and stem borer and still have the aroma of Domsiah and the other related local aromatic rice varieties, of which the most popular besides Domsiah are Tarom Hashemi, Binam, Hasani, Salari, Ambarboo and Sang Tarom and Hasan Sarai.
More than 80% of the rice area in Iran are under these varieties.
These varieties are all characterized by a tall stature, 125 – 135 cm., a
weak culm and droopy leaves. They have a long slender grain and a head rice
recovery of 60-63%. They have medium
amylose
Amylose is a polysaccharide made of α-D-glucose units, bonded to each other through α(1→4) glycosidic bonds. It is one of the two components of starch, making up approximately 20–30%. Because of its tightly packed helical structure, amylose ...
content (AC, a determinant
of eating quality) and good aroma and elongation qualities.
Diseases and shortcomings
Domsiah and the other rice varieties have droopy leaves and a weak culm and are therefore prone to loding (falling down on the ground). They are susceptible to blast (fungi) and stem borer (insects).
See also
*
Oryza sativa
''Oryza sativa'', commonly known as Asian rice or indica rice, is the plant species most commonly referred to in English as ''rice''. It is the type of farmed rice whose cultivars are most common globally, and was first domesticated in the Yan ...
References
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*
Rice varieties
Iranian cuisine
Agriculture in Iran
Persian words and phrases
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