Hybrid rice research and development in Myanmar

Rice production is the backbone of the national program on economic development as well as for attaining rice self-sufficiency in Myanmar. To increase rice production, hybrid rice technology is considered as a new approach. Under the Myanma Agriculture Service (MAS), a hybrid rice research and development program started at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in 1991 with collaboration from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and strengthened its activities with cooperation and collaboration from seed companies from China and Japan and technical support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The hybrid rice breeding program focuses on developing parental lines better adapted to local environmental conditions. Two cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines, IR58025A and IR62829A, were initially introduced from IRRI and IR58025A was found to be more adaptable to local conditions. Two more lines, IR68897A and IR68887A, were selected as good CMS lines from further evaluation. Some prospective maintainers and restorers were identified and some were used in the backcross nursery. Yield tests were carried out at CARI and different research stations to evaluate the yield and agronomic characters of experimental hybrids and introduced hybrids. Research to determine the optimum male:female row ratio, the gibberellic acid dosage test, and the study on the best time for the use of GA3 for CMS lines are being done at CARI. Some hybrid combinations from the International Rice Hybrid Observational Nursery seem to be promising. Commercial F1 seed production was handled by MAS and Chinese seed companies. At present, the area planted to hybrid rice has decreased because Chinese hybrids were observed to have some constraints: poor grain quality and susceptibility to disease. In Myanmar, hybrids must show about 20% yield heterosis over existing inbred cultivars with acceptable grain quality. Myanmar also became a member country of the IRRI-ADB hybrid rice project phase II.