Collection, conservation, and potential use of the wild relatives of rice in Asia and Australia
1989
Vaughan, D.A. (International Rice Research Inst., Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines). International Rice Germplasm Center)
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) occurs in a subfamily of the Poaceae distinct from other major cereals. The potential usefulness to rice improvement of the genera related to Oryza needs to be explored. Maximum diversity of the wild relatives of rice occurs in Asia and Australia. Eleven of the 22 species in the genus Oryza occur in this region. Living collections of most of the species have been collected and conserved over the last 30 years. The uprecedented recent demand, primarily from biotechnologists, for germplasm of these wild species and the undiminished destruction of wild habitats have led the International Rice Research Institute [Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines] (IRRI) to embark on collaborative efforts to gather samples of these wild species from diverse locations across the region. Recent collections have increased on knowledge of in situ conservation of Oryza spp. Forest reserves and wildlife parks have been identified that are a refuge for the wild relatives of rice. The protection of habitats, conservation of germplasm, and advances in biotechnology are complementary. Evaluation has revealed that the chance of finding resistance to insect pests of rice is about 50 times greater in wild Oryza spp. than the cultigen. Population of wild Oryza spp. have already contributed substantially to increasing rice production in Asia. The further potential of these wild relatives of rice is discussed.
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