Breeding green super rice (GSR) varieties for sustainable rice cultivation

Publication date: 31/05/2017
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Z. Li, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China; and J. Ali, International Rice Research Institute, The Philippines

Chapter synopsis: Improving low rice productivity in rainfed areas of Asia and Africa and sustaining rice productivity in irrigated rice lands are challenges in the coming decades for the global rice research community. Green Super Rice (GSR), rice cultivars that can produce high and stable yields under less input, is a concept proposed to meet the challenge. This chapter outlines how GSR would signal a major shift in breeding objectives from yield improvement to high yield potential plus resilience to environmental disturbances. The chapter describes a GSR breeding strategy that integrates strong phenotypic selection in a modified backcross breeding procedure with high-efficient Quantitative/Qualitative Trait Locus network discovery by selective introgression and DNA markers, followed by high-efficient development of GSR varieties by designed QTL pyramiding (DQP) and molecular recurrent selection (MRS). The chapter makes the case that adoption of this breeding strategy will help achieve sustainable rice production and food security.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2016.0003.05