This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of shattering habit and germination of offtype rice plants collected in Korea which were classified into seven groups based on grain characteristics. In the long-grain red rice group, the short-grain red rice group, the long-grain normal rice group, and the long-grain waxy rice group, the tensile strength of grain and primary rachis branch was relatively low and the fiber cell of the primary rachis branch was short. Characteristics of shattering-related traits and germination in relation to grain and esterase isozyme zymogram type of off-type rice plants. In most lines of the extremely late and sterile rice group, the tensile strength of grain was low, while that of primary rachis branch was high, and the fiber cell was long. However, in the type 1 esterase isozyme zymogram(EIZ) lines among the long-grain normal rice group and the type 6 and 5+6 EIZ plants among the extremely late and sterile rice group, the tensile strength of grain was relatively higher. The long-grain waxy rice group and the type 3 EIZ lines among the long-grain red rice group, showed higher germinability than did cultivars which are known to germinate well even in low-temperature. The other off-type rice group, except for the short-grain waxy rice group and type 1 and 7 EIZ lines among the long-grain normal rice group, had higher germination speed than that of the cultivars.

• Dong Kwan Kim
• Il Doo Jin
• Yeon Gyu Kim
• Kyung Soo Min
• Byung Gwan Jung
• Yong Jae Kim