USDA Logo
ARS Logo

  Dale Bumpers Ntl. Rice Rsch. Ctr.
Printer FriendlyPrinter Friendly Email this pageEmail this page
 
Search
 
 
This site only
  Advanced Search
 
Research
  Programs and Projects
 
 
  Display category headings
Research
Research >
Research Project: USE OF DIVERSE GERMPLASM FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF RICE

Location: Dale Bumpers Ntl. Rice Rsch. Ctr.

Project Number: 6225-21000-008-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Aug 01, 2003
End Date: Jul 31, 2008

Objective:
To develop early-maturing, production-efficent indica rice germplasm and also develop rice germplasm with improved and novel grain qualities by inducing mutants, identifying natural variants, and through innovative genetic methods. To introgress new genes for pest resistance and stress tolerance into cultivated rice from wild Oryza species. Evaluate germplasm and establish a Rice Genetic Stocks Collection.

Approach:
Develop highly production-efficient indica rice germplasm with suitable grain quality for U.S. markets through hybridization of early maturing, production-efficient indicas from central China with late maturing indica germplasm from IRRI. Initial recombinants will be jointly selected for early maturity and 20-22% amylose content followed by yield and quality evaluations creating a foundation of adapted indica germplasm which then can be tested for quality assessments, including grain shape, milling percentage and cooking quality. Induced mutation will be used to select early maturing lines in the IRRI germplasm. Early maturity enhances water use, i.e. fewer days of irrigation are required. Other atrributes of indica germplasm are more disease- and insect-resistance in addition to straighthead resistance. Induced mutation will be used to look for additional low phytic acid mutants to complement the low phytic acid-1 mutant already in hand, in order to further reduce phytic acid. The creation of a U.S. rice oil market has led to interest in developing higher-oil and altered fatty acid composition mutants. Agronomic performance of the giant embryo mutants available from Japan and China, is suspect, so the existing genes will be studied in different genetic backgrounds, as well as through induced mutation in U.S. rice varieties. There will be additional focus on inducing agronomically suitable mutants for semidwarfism and early maturity in the "gold-standard" aromatic rices of the world, basmatis and jasmines. Also the unstudied amylopection component of starch will be characterized for amylopectin chain lengths in order to determine how this affects cooking quality. The small number (ca. 100) of available Oryza species assessions will be screened for pest resistance and stress tolerance characters for backcrossing into cultivated germplasm. A Rice Genetics Stocks collection will be established for for seed propagated rice mutants, including morphological, developmental, and metabolic characters. In addition it will provide speciality handling and evaluation for rice accessions that cannot be handled by the National Small Grains Collection at Aberdeen, ID.

 
Project Team
Rutger, J
Yan, Wengui
Bryant, Rolfe
Eizenga, Georgia

Publications

Related National Programs
  Plant, Microbial & Insect Genetic Res., Genomics, & Genetic Improv. I (301)
  Plant Biological and Molecular Processes (302)

Related Projects
   PUERTO RICO NURSERY

 
ARS Home |  USDA |  Home | About Us | Research | Products & Services | People & Places  | News & Events | Partnering | Careers | Contact Us | Help |
Site Map |  Freedom of Information Act |  Statements & Disclaimers |  Employee Resources |  FirstGov |  White House