Wild Rice Breeding, Genetics, and Genetic Resources

Principal Investigator: Deborah Samac

Project Description: 

The long-term goal of this project is to develop improved wild rice cultivars through conventional breeding and marker-assisted selection for key traits affecting production efficiency. New genetic knowledge about these key traits is sought to develop cultivars more effectively and efficiently. Objective 1: Develop genetic resources with traits influencing production efficiency (seed shattering resistance, disease resistances, panicle type, and reduced height) and characterize the inheritance of those traits. Objective 2: Identify candidate genes for, and useful markers that are closely associated with, shattering resistance and disease resistance, using wild rice lines and mapping populations as well as comparative genetic and genomic information from Oryza sativa. Objective 3: Develop wild rice cultivars through conventional breeding and marker-assisted selection that have greater production efficiency and reduced height, that exploit heterosis, and that are more resistant to shattering, diseases, and other biotic and abiotic stresses.

Project Years: 2009-2011

Funding Source: Agricultural Research Service - USDA