35 years of progress in developing stress-tolerant rice: Exit seminar of David Mackill

Dr. David Mackill, departing principal scientist in the Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; http://irri.org ), discusses his research at the Institute to develop stress-tolerant rice.

After the initial success of the Green Revolution, mainly in irrigated areas, rice scientists turned their attention to tolerance for abiotic stresses. IRRI's 1975 Research Highlights asked the question "What about the other three?", referring to the three out of four farmers who had not benefited from the Green Revolution for various reasons.

Around that time, IRRI scientists began a systematic effort to identify rice varieties tolerant of abiotic stresses and use them to develop higher yielding varieties for the unfavorable rice-growing areas. Plant breeders have continued to this day to benefit from this systematic effort, referred to as the Genetic Evaluation and Utilization (GEU) program. However, stress-tolerant rice varieties had almost no impact until very recently. Advances in genetics and phenotyping have resulted in a new generation of varieties suitable for the unfavorable rainfed areas.

Tolerance for water deficit and flooding are highlighted in this presentation. These varieties are expected to have a major impact in the coming decade. However, efforts need to be further intensified to achieve the maximum benefits from the recent discoveries.

See related videos at
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEY_h-q7Hsw (From genes to farmers fields: waterproof rice makes waves)
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7ygEfvBBY4 (Time-lapse video shows flood tolerance in rice -- 40 seconds)
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaYJk3IDxY8 (Ceremonial harvest of waterproof rice in Bangladesh)
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6en8eeBw99A (Drought and flood tolerance research in rice at IRRI)
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyKJ6RzicRY (IRRI featured on CNN's Spirit of Survival)

Category:

Education

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• David
• Mackill
• IRRI
• International
• Rice
• Research
• Institute
• Stress-tolerant
• rice