Fragrant or scented rice that obtains a premium price in
international markets is characterised by its natural fragrance or
pleasant aroma and good taste quality. In general, traditional
fragrant rice varieties are of tall stature, prone to lodging, have a
low tiller number, high sterility, are sensitive to photoperiods and
have a poor response to fertilizer application (leading to low yield
potentials). Hence, there is a motivation to develop new rice
cultivars by combining those with high yield potential with those
that have good grain quality.