Genotypic diversity and environmental stability of starch physicochemical properties in the USDA rice mini-core collection

•High genotypic diversity in starch traits exists in USDA rice mini-core collection.•Thermal properties (To, Tp and Tc) were very stable between environments.•Most other starch traits differed significantly between environments.•Environment was found to have differential effects on rice in different AAC subgroups.•G×E interaction also played a significant role in determining the starch traits. The USDA rice mini-core collection consists of 217 accessions representative of a world-wide germplam bank. We investigated its genotypic diversity in starch physicochemical properties and the effects of genotype, environment and G×E interaction in this study. High genotypic diversity was found in all 18 measured starch quality traits in the mini-core rice in two location-years in China. Genotype, environment and G×E effects on these traits were analysed using 115 common accessions successfully produced in both environments. Thermal properties (To, Tp and Tc) were very stable whereas most other traits differed significantly between environments. However, when these accessions were divided into five subgroups based on amylose content, environment was found to have differential effects. G×E interaction also played a significant role in determining the starch traits. These findings will provide guidance for selection from the diverse genotypes in the USDA mini-core collection for cultivation and for developing cultivars with desired cooking and eating quality.