IRRI Pioneer Interviews--Challenges for IRRI: Gurdev Khush

Gurdev Khush, IRRI rice breeder and principal scientist, 1967-2001; currently adjunct professor, University of California, Davis

As the national programs have become stronger, IRRI has started putting emphasis on certain areas where it has a comparative advantage, such as in molecular biology and biotechnology. IRRI stopped naming varieties because the national programs have become strong enough so we only need to supply them with germplasm. The challenge will continue for IRRI to find new techniques, which can help the national programs.

In breeding, I think we have to continue to find approaches to increase yield potential and to identify new sources of disease and insect resistance so that they can be supplied to the national programs. Also, [IRRI needs to] use the new genetic engineering technology. The environment for accepting genetically modified crops is not as good as it should be. But eventually, I think, in a few years, the national programs, the farmers, and the NGOs will start accepting genetically modified materials. Molecular biology techniques to use include molecular marker-aided selection and identifying QTLs [quantitative trait loci] for difficult traits, such as drought.

So, the challenge is to work with national programs to incorporate all these techniques into breeding approaches. This should lead to rice improvement efforts that focus on increasing the yield potential and developing varieties with novel traits.

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