Uji Cepat Varietas Padi (Oryza Sativa L.) Toleran Merkuri sebagai Sumber Genetik Perakitan Padi Toleran Merkuri di Kabupaten Madina

Abstract

The high level of mercury in wastewater comes from unlicensed gold mining activities in Mandailing Natal Regency, which causes rice plants planted in paddy fields to be contaminated through irrigation using groundwater containing heavy metals. In addition to impacting the environment, mercury was also very dangerous for human health. This study aims to determine the effect of mercury on rice plant growth, to determine differences in tolerance between varieties to mercury stress, and to determine the interaction between varieties and mercury in the early vegetative growth phase. This research was conducted in the Green House, Plant Disease Laboratory, and Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of North Sumatra, from July 2023 to May 2024. This study used a factorial Randomized Block Design with 2 factors. The first factor were 8 paddy rice varieties and the second factor were the dose of mercury including: M0 (control) and M1 (1 ppm mercury). The results showed that the variety treatment was significantly different on the parameters of plant height and Hg levels in the roots of rice plants, the mercury dose treatment significantly affected the parameters of root length and Hg levels in the leaves of rice plants, there was no interaction between varieties and mercury doses on all observed parameters. There are Sigupai and Cakra Buana varieties that have tolerant properties based on agromorphology and DNA analysis.