Comparison among agronomic, cooking and nutritional characteristcs in white and red rice varieties.

Red rice is grown by small farmers of Brazil, especially in the Paraiba, Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco States, because of its specialty characteristics, compared to white rice, like flavor, texture and supposed nutritional value. Current varieties were selected by farmers and, in general, present traditional plant architecture and small yield. Aim of this work was to compare agronomic, cooking and nutritional characteristics of white and red rice varieties. A field assay was carried out in the Embrapa Meio-Norte experimental area, in Teresina, Piaui State, and the laboratorial analysis, in Embrapa Arroz e Feijao, in Santo Antonio de Goias, Goias State. Eleven white rice and four red rice varieties were evaluated, with emphasis to yield, amylose content, cooking time, brown and polished rice, iron and zinc contents. The white rice varieties present larger yield and amylose content, requiring smaller cooking time than the red rice varieties, however the red rice varieties stand out, specially as polished rice, regarding the iron and zinc contents. Key-words: Oryza sativa, yield, amylase content, cooking time, brown rice, iron and zinc.