**2.1 Non-Basmati type of aromatic rice of India**

This group mainly constitutes of small, medium and long grained types of aromatic rice. The center of diversity of non-Basmati types of aromatic rice of India is located in Himalayan foothills; Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; and


**Table 1.**

*Differentiation of Basmati and non-Basmati types.*


#### **Table 2.**

*Indigenous aromatic varieties cultivated in different states of India.*

Tarai region of Nepal [5]. Few famous and locally cultivated varieties of this group with respective kernel length are listed below (**Table 2**) along with their area of cultivation. There are a total of eight non-Basmati types of aromatic rice with GI tag in India; names of such varieties are mentioned in bold and italicized letters in the table (**Table 2**).

## **2.2 Basmati type of aromatic rice of India**

This group includes slender and long to very long grained type of aromatic rice. It is indigenous to Himalayan foothills. The word Basmati is derived from Sanskrit word, *vas* (aroma) and *mayup* (ingrained or present from earlier). Morphologically Basmati rice is similar to *indica* type but differs from *indica* in phenol reaction and isoenzyme pattern [2]; opaque kernel appearance, intermediate amylose content and alkali spreading value. Consequently, Basmati is classified into intermediate group between *indica* and *japonica* [6].

*Basmati is aromatic rice, but all aromatic rice is not Basmati*. A rice variety to be called as Basmati rice has to meet all the minimum standards of Basmati rice quality traits. These minimum standards have been outlined by the recommendations of the *Central Sub Committee on Crops Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties for Agricultural Crops* constituted by the Central Seed Committee established under Section 3 of the Seeds Act, 1966 of India and *Export of Basmati Rice (Quality Control and Inspection) Rules, 2003*. These traits are mainly quality traits; and are summarized below.

Hence, any aromatic rice in India can be called as Basmati only when it meets the minimum standards given in aforementioned table (**Table 3**). Apart from, quality standards, there is another writ under *Export of Basmati Rice (Quality Control and Inspection) Rules, 2003* which defines which genotype of an aromatic rice can be called as Basmati. According to this rule; Basmati is of two types:


Given the importance of Basmati; in year 2008 **APEDA**, an Indian government Organization has filed an application to obtain GI tag for Basmati. Basmati became a registered GI form 15th February 2016 under agricultural goods with its GI periphery confines to *seven* states of India; Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttrakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), is an organization founded by APEDA to promote Basmati export; regulate production of foundation and certified seeds; authorize centers for sample drawn by customs department; develop new DNA testing laboratories to monitor quality standards of newly notified Basmati rice in National Trials of India; and supervise registration of Basmati as GI product.


#### **Table 3.**

*Minimum standard of Basmati rice quality traits.*


#### **Table 4.**

*Notified Basmati varieties of India.*
