The community of practices: Rice Breeding in Mekong Region

The Place of Rice in the Lives of the Mekong Region’s People  Rice domestication in the region started in Korat Plateau, northeast Thailand, southwest China and in Myanmar’s Shan State  China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar are among the top 10 rice producers of the world. Lower Mekong countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam produced over 66 M metric tones of rice in 2002  In 2002, per capita consumption of rice by the regions’ citizens fell between 103 kg (in Thailand) to 169 kg (in Vietnam) and the regions inhabitants derive between 44 and 66 percent of their daily calorie intake from rice alone  Rice farming is associated with tradition and customs of the people in the region

Rice Planting Area in Mekong Region Rice Planting Area (million ha) ThailandMyanmarLaosCambodia Irrigated Rainfed Lowland Rainfed Upland Submergence prone (long term) Total

Popular Rice Varieties in Mekong Region CountryVariety NamePercent Area Grown Thailand RD6 KDML105 SPR60 RD varieties RD10 others Myanmar Manawthukha Shwe War Htun Kyaw Zeya Manawhari Ayeyarmin Local varieties Laos TDK1 TDK5 Phong Ngam1 Phong Ngam2 0thers (local) Cambodia IR66 Kesar Neang Minh Phka Khney Banla Phdau Local varieties 90 2

Major Constraints in Rice Production in the Mekong Region Submergence : In million ha were flooded (500 million $) Brown plant hopper : In 2010, BPH caused the yield loss up to 1.1 million tons (350 million $) Drought :In 2004, more than 1.2 million ha of the rice production areas were hit by drought causing the yield loss for 1.83 million ton (370 million $) Blast : In 2007, blast disease infected rainfed lowland rice causing the yield loss %.

Goals of the Mekong Program in Rice Improvement  Stabilize yield of Mekong mega varieties by improving resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses  Improve and maintain grain eating and cooking quality  Strengthen the collaboration in the region by applying biotechnology in rice breeding and developing human resources

Rice Gene Discovery Unit – A Research Hub  Genetic Information  QTL/Gene Information  Blast  BLB  Bph  Submergence  Salinity  Drought  Rice Quality  Marker Technology  SSR  SNP  Microarray

Rice Gene Discovery Unit – A Research Hub Genotyping and Phenotyping Capacity

Rice Gene Discovery Unit – A Research Hub Phenotyping Capacity Green house

Phase I: Regional Workshop on Molecular Breeding in Rice for Mekong Region: Line Conversion Using MAS  Funding Agency: Rockefeller Foundation, BIOTEC, Kasetsart University  Duration: 2004 – 2006  Objectives:  Transfer DNA technology and genomic information from RGDU to breeding institutes in the region  Improvement of traditional and/or cultivated rice cultivars by using MAS  Enhance research collaboration between/among institutes in countries in Mekong region

Phase I: Regional Workshop on Molecular Breeding in Rice for Mekong Region: Line Conversion Using MAS  Participating institutes and programs  National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Laos  Improving aroma and GT in TDK 1 using Hom Nangnuane as donor  Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Cambodia  Improving aroma, amylose content and GT of CAR3 using Phka Roudul as donor  Department of Agricultural Research (DAR), Myanmar  Improving aroma, amylose content and GT of Manawthukha using Basmati as donor  Improving salinity tolerance of Sin Thwe Latt (IR53936) using Pokkali as donor

Phase I: Regional Workshop on Molecular Breeding in Rice for Mekong Region: Line Conversion Using MAS  Participating institutes and programs  Ubon Ratchatani University and Ubon Ratchatani Rice Research Center, Ubon, Thailand  Improving aroma and grain quality of IR57514 using KDML105- Sub1-Xa21 introgression line as donor  Khon Khaen University and Khon Khaen Rice Research Center, Khon Khaen, Thailand  Improving blast resistance in RD6 using from IR64  Naresuan University and Pitsanulok Rice Research Center, Pitsanulok, Thailand  Improving brown planthopper resistance in Chainat 1 using KDML105-Bph3 (Rathu Heenati ) introgression line and KDML105- qBPH12 (Abhaya) as donors

Phase I: Regional Workshop on Molecular Breeding in Rice for Mekong Region: Line Conversion Using MAS

Phase II: Community of Practice “Concept Applied to Rice Production in Mekong Region: Quick Conversion of Popular Rice Varieties with Emphasis on Drought, Salinity and Grain Quality Improvement”  Funding Agencies: Generation Challenge Program; BIOTEC  Duration: 2007 – 2009  Objectives:  Continuation of line conversion using MAS  Validation of introgression lines for target trait performance, yield and agronomic characters  Human resource development  Workshop on QTL and marker-assisted selection for plant breeding

Phase II: Community of Practice “Concept Applied to Rice Production in Mekong Region: Quick Conversion of Popular Rice Varieties with Emphasis on Drought, Salinity and Grain Quality Improvement”  Participating Institutes  NAFRI  DAR  CARDI  Ubon Ratchatani University

Phase II: Community of Practice “Concept Applied to Rice Production in Mekong Region: Quick Conversion of Popular Rice Varieties with Emphasis on Drought, Salinity and Grain Quality Improvement” First workshop – May 2007 Second workshop – November 2007 Third workshop – May 2008 Fourth workshop – April 2009

Knowledge and Technology Transfer - Workshop On Site CARDI June 19-20, 2007 DAR August 20-21, 2007 NAFRI July 3-4, 2007

Phase III (a): The Community of Practice “Strengthening Rice Breeding Program using Genotyping Building Strategy and Improving Phenotyping Capacity for Biotic and Abiotic Stresses in Mekong Region”  Funding Agency: GCP  Duration: 2009 – 2012  Objectives:  Build phenotyping facilities for abiotic and biotic traits in DAR, NAFRI and CARDI  Validate and standardize phenotyping protocol that fits the condition in each country  Conduct phenotyping workshop  Asses trait performance through field trials under research farm and farmer’s field conditions

Facilities for Trait Phenotyping Greenhouse and submergence ponds in DAR Submergence ponds and BPH facilities for CARDI Submergence ponds and greenhouse for NAFRI

Phase III (b): Strengthening Human Resource in Mekong Region: Community of Practice for Rice Breeding with Emphasis on MAS  Funding Agency: NSTDA (BIOTEC), Kasetsart University, Rajamongkol University of Technology Lanna, Ubon Ratchatani University  Duration: 2009 – 2013  Objectives:  Develop human resource by providing scholarship to staffs of DAR, NAFRI, CARDI and UBU  Research funds for MAS (Thailand Rainfed breeding program)

Rice Breeding Program of NAFRI (Laos) and CARDI (Cambodia) TDK1 x Homnangnouane F1 x TDKI BC1F1 x TDK1 BC2F1 BC2F2 MAS BC2F3 RF, BIOTEC, KU NAFRI GCP, BIOTEC MAS BC3F1 BC3F2 Field Testing and trait validation of BC3F3 in NAFRI MAS Nov May Oct May MAS BC3F3-Aromatic TDK1 + Submergence tolerance and blast resistance NSTDA, RMUTL, KU, UBU, NAFRI BC3F1 BC3F2 Field Testing and trait validation of BC3F3 in CARDI MAS CAR3 x PRD F1 x CAR3 BC1F1 x CAR3 BC2F1 BC2F2 MAS BC2F4 MAS BC2F3 CARDI Nov May Oct May MAS RF, BIOTEC, KU GCP, BIOTEC BC3F3-aromatic CAR3 + Submergence tolerance and brown planthopper resistance of Pkha Romdoul NSTDA, GCP, RMUTL, KU, UBU, CARDI

Rice Breeding Program of DAR, Myanmar

Rice Breeding Program of Thailand KD x IR57514 F1 x IR57514 BC1F1 x IR57514 BC2F1 BC3F1 MAS BC3F1 UBN MAS BC3F2 BC3F3 Field Testing of BC3F4 in RGDU MAS Nov May Oct May MAS Submergence screening Grain quality test RF, BIOTEC, KU GCP, BIOTEC Multi-location trials and farmers’ participation in selection BIOTEC, GCP, RMUTL, KU, UBU, RGDU BC3F4-aromatic IR57514 x RD6 Glutinous Aromatic IR submergence and drought tolerance BIOTEC, GCP, RMUTL, KU, UBU, RGDU

Achievements Under drought stressUnder aerobic condition Performance of IR57514 introgression lines (Sub1 + DT + fragrance + cooking quality) in NAFRI (Laos), DAR (Myanmar) and RD (Thailand) in research stations.

Achievements Testing of IR57514 introgression lines in submergence pond at DAR, Myanmar

Achievements LineGrain yield (kg/rai) RGD07336-MAS-191-B-B591 RGD07336-MAS-122-B-B579 KDML105 (Thai check variety) 498 LSD47 In Thailand, IR57514 introgression lines were tested in multi- location trials (comprising 12 stations) in the north and northeast and showed good performance under condition in the research station.

Achievements Yield performance of aromatic Manawthukha in different location in Myanmar

Yn 3248-BC4F2-112 Characters Maturity Days- 137 Plant Height (cm) Productive tillers Total grains / panicle Fill grain (%)- 88 – grain weight (gm) Yield (Bsk/ac) Group- (B) Milling (%)- 54 Amylose content (%) Eating quality- good Grain quality- Trans; Distinct character- smell Adapted locations-Both of Irrigated and Rainfed lowland

Yield performance of On- Farm trials(2010 WS) NoEntry Name Yield (tha -1 ) Mean (tha -1 ) MandalayAyeyar waddy Taninthari 1 Yn 3220MAS Yn 3220MAS Yn 3220MAS Yn 3220MAS Sin Thwe Latt Mean

Maturity Days- 135 Plant Height (cm)- 88 Productive tillers Total grains / panicle Fill grain (%) grain weight (gm) Yield (tha -1 ) Varietal Group- Emata Milling (%) Amylose content (%) Eating quality- good Grain quality- Translucence, wb Distinct character- tolerance to EC 9 dS/m Adapted locations-Costal and alkaline salinity areas Yn 3220-MAS Characters

Maturity Days- 142 Plant Height (cm)- 84 Productive tillers Total grains / panicle- 115 Fill grain (%) grain weight (gm) Yield Yield (tha -1 ) Varietal Group- Emata Milling (%) Amylose content (%) Eating quality-Good Grain quality- Translucence, Slender Long Distinct character- tolerance to EC 6 dS/m Adapted locations-Costal and alkaline salinity areas Yn 3220-MAS Characters

Messages from DAR

Future Need Improve human resource – Biotechnology – Phenotyping Mekong network – Exchange of gemrplasm – Exchange of information (diseases and insect pests) Seed release to farmers – Strategy to shorten time to release to farmers (community based trials) – Shorten time for farmer’s adoption – Secured seed production Out sourcing for research fund Strengthening awareness of government support to research

Thank you ขอบคุณ