The Hindu Business Line : Scientists develop new pest-proof rice

ONE of the popular rice varieties — Samba Masuri — is all set to get rid of its number one pest disease, the bacterial leaf blight (BLB), thanks to a new variety developed jointly by scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular biology (CCMB) and the Directorate of Rice Research (DRR) in Hyderabad.

With no effective bactericides available to control the problem, the BLB was causing at least 15 per cent reduction in yields in areas such as Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, where the Samba Masuri is grown. The variety is a premium one in Andhra Pradesh and cultivated in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal.

The CCMB and DRR scientists tracked genes which were resistant to the bacteria and introduced them into Samba Masuri (bpt5204) and in another variety, Triguna, using molecular breeding techniques. In green house experiments and limited field trials, the new rice lines exhibited good resistance to both pest and disease, without compromising on yields, explained Dr Ramesh Sonti of CCMB.

The new rice lines for Samba Masuri and Triguna, another popular variety, were ready in April 2003 after three years of intense work and have been put through initial trials. Additional trials are planned for the forthcoming rabi season for evaluation on a large scale. The lines will be nominated for evaluation under the All India Coordinated Rice Testing programme and is expected to enter the commercial domain in three years, according to Dr B.B. Mishra, Director of DRR.

The collaborative project is an example of the utilisation of advances in rice genome studies to produce tangible results. The molecular breeding techniques using DNA markers have helped in reducing the time required for development of durable resistance to a short period of less than three years compare to conventional breeding which took 5-6 years, Dr Lalji Singh, Director of the CCMB, told newspersons.

The DNA marker technology also helps researchers to select plants that are likely to have characteristics such as yield and quality like the original parent, say in this case Samba Masuri or Triguna. It also enables selection of breeding lines possessing more than one disease resistance gene without the time consuming pathological screening. The CCMB scientists took the resistant genes from SS1113 and backcrossed it with Samba Masuri to hasten the process of development, Dr Sonti explained.

The Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, have also been using DNA markers for studying BLB resistant genes.

With the available bactericides in the market expensive and not eco-friendly, the new variety of Samba Masuri and Triguna developed by the two institutes promises the farmer fine quality, disease resistance, same yield and saving in the form of use of bactericides and fall in yield due to BLB.

More Stories on : Rice | Research & Development | Pests

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