Rice as a model for genetics, genomics and breeding

Authors: Jia, Yulin

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/12/2022
Publication Date: 1/12/2022
Citation: Jia, Y. 2022. Rice as a model for genetics, genomics and breeding. Plant and Animal Genome Conference Proceedings. Virtual Conference. January 8-12, 2022.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rice is an important crop for achieving global food security and a model system for plant genetics, genomics, and breeding because of its small genome size, accurate genome sequences, collinearity of genome sequences with other cereal crops, high efficiency of genetic cross and transformation technology, abundant germplasm, mutants and wild rice relatives. Currently, biotic and abiotic stresses, along with input costs associated with irrigation demands and agricultural chemicals, are the major constraints for the global rice production and must be tackled for making rice production more sustainable. Over 2000 rice genes involved in rice biology have been cloned including those that control the number of plant tillers and grains per panicle, grain chalkiness which determines the amount of resistant starch in the grain important to human nutrition, durable and broad-spectrum resistance genes to rice blast disease, nitrogen use efficiency, male sterility important to hybrid production, and heat tolerance. All of which can be used to develop a precise understanding of the function of these cloned rice genes and their interactions with other genes and for the development of environmentally resilient rice cultivars by public and private breeding programs. Resulting knowledge and resources can enhance the production and protection of additional crop plants specifically for monocot crops such as wheat, barley and oats.