Biotechnology research for rice improvement in the Philippines

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) pursues a strong rice biotechnology research in support of its rice varietal improvement program which is geared toward the development of high yielding varieties. The strategy is to concentrate research on areas of national interest to the Philippines, and derive as much benefit as possible from research activities outside of PhilRice. The biotechnology research projects being undertaken include: 1) utilization of molecular marker technology focusing on molecular mapping of resistance genes to rice tungro virus disease, quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seeding vigor, and QTL for yield; 2.) In -vitro techniques to generate homozygous lines for saline and cool elevated areas; 3.) wide hybridization focusing on the transfer of tungro resistance genes from Oryza rufipogon (acc. 105909) into elite rice varieties; and 4.) plant transformation targetting the incorporation of exogenous genes conferring resistance to sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani), blast (Pyricularia oryzae), stemborer, and tungro using Agrobacterium - mediated transformation system. Furthermore, marker aided selection (MAS) technique is being used in the pyramiding of bacterial leaf blight (BLB-Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae) resistance genes (Xa-4, Xa-21, xa-5 and Oryza minuta BLB resistance) into elite cultivars. MAS techniques are also being developed for the transfer of the rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) resistance gene from ARC11554. Molecular markers like AFLP, microsatellites and RAPD are being utilized to characterize and fingerprint Philippine modern and traditional varieties. PhilRice just acquired its permit to conduct genetic transformation from the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) and is thus in the early stage of operation. The manpower build-up biotechnology research at the institute is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation (RF) through its International Program for Rice Biotechnology (IPRB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Five PhilRice staff members have finished post graduate studies in the USA under IPRB. Likewise, RF is providing research grants for biotechnologgy research to PhilRice