LSU AGCENTER
(from left) Rice producer Michael Fruge chats with LSU AgCenter rice researchers Ida Wenefrida and Herry Utomo.
As a semi-dwarf, Frontière stands about 36 inches tall and has good lodging resistance. With the Cypress genetic background, it is moderately susceptible to rice blast and very susceptible to sheath blight. Frontière has similar high-quality milling as Cypress, but its cook type falls between Cypress and Cocodrie — likely because of the higher protein levels, Utomo said. In the field, growers manage Frontière as they would Cypress, although the higher-protein line yields about 10% less than Cypress. That is one of the agronomic traits Utomo and Wenefrida want to improve. Lower glycemic index What Gerard and Fruge have found is the higher protein-to-carbohydrate ratio helped reduce the grain’s glycemic index. The two funded a study by Toronto, Canada-based Inquis Clinical Research, which specializes in determining a product’s glycemic index and glycemic load. Initially, Fruge said they presumed the glycemic index for Frontière would be similar to that for brown rice, which typically has a medium glycemic index. “It came back low, way more than we had ever dreamed of,” Fruge said. “Brown rice versus white rice is a 10-point difference. Well, we went from 70 for long grain to 41.” Regular white rice has a glycemic index of 73. Considered on the high side, it means that the carbohydrates are easily digested, absorbed and metabolized. This results in a quick spike in blood sugar. While a sprinter may want that quick burst of energy, someone TWITTER: @RICEFARMING
with diabetes who is looking to stabilize blood sugar levels may not. But Frontière has a glycemic index of less than 55, or in the low category. That means when someone eats a serving, the starches are slowly broken down, provide a more sustained energy source and don’t produce large blood sugar spikes. In many cases, the low-glycemic index also means that people with diabetes or pre-diabetes can now eat Frontière rice without the same health concerns as conventional white rice, Utomo said. Cahokia gains momentum Gerard is in his fourth year growing and marketing Frontière under his Cahokia brand, and he has seen demand continue to grow. He offers it as brown or white rice in 1- and 2-pound consumer bags as well as 25-pound bulk bags. DECEMBER 2021
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RICE FARMING
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