[Plantsci] Arizona Researcher Pursuing Drought-Tolerant Rice Varieties

[Donna-Rae Marquez]

On Behalf of Dr. Paulino Sanchez from Dr. Rod Wing's Laboratory:
http://ww.usarice.com/index.php?option=com_content
<http://ww.usarice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1708&Ite
mid=328> &view=article&id=1708&Itemid=328

 

 



 
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

 




Arizona Researcher Pursuing Drought-Tolerant Rice Varieties



 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=xhhjdadab&et=1109184292234&s=-1&e=001cmTKSKjn
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u8Lxnp67mTk=> Description:
http://ww.usarice.com/images/COMM-AZ_Researcher_Paul_Sanchez-120131.jpg


Sanchez evaluates promising rice varieties in an experimental field in
Tucson, AZ, last summer.

TUCSON, AZ -- With much drier and warmer than average weather conditions
affecting much of Texas for more than a year, news that a rice researcher at
the University of Arizona is developing desert-friendly rice varieties for
U.S. and international growers is likely to be well received. Dr. Paul
Sanchez, a rice breeder and wild rice specialist, is researching promising
heat-and drought-tolerant rice varieties that can be grown not only in the
Arizona desert, but also other areas that are impacted by drought and
extremely warm temperatures. The project is supported by Dr. Rod A. Wing,
Antle professor and director of the  <http://www.genome.arizona.edu/>
Arizona Genomics Institute. 

"This new undertaking was made in response to the increasing concern about
the impact of climate change on rice production," Sanchez said. "Arizona is
an ideal place for developing heat- and drought- tolerant varieties because
of its high daily maximum temperature and low rainfall from late spring to
early fall when rice can be planted."

Sanchez said the university is optimistic that the first heat-tolerant
varieties could be released in 2013, and the first heat-and drought-tolerant
varieties two to three years after that. "Drought and heat tolerance is a
complex trait and evaluation is challenging," he explained. "Taking
advantage of Arizona's natural arid environment made field evaluation
possible and did not require simulation studies in the greenhouse or under
artificial conditions." The researcher said it took five years from the
identification of heat-and drought-tolerant wild rice species to
successfully transfer the traits into cultivated rice.

"Promising rice varieties will be evaluated this year for distinctness,
uniformity, stability and yields," Sanchez said. "We have generated interest
from one farmer who is willing to grow the first Arizona bred rice and are
seeking additional funding to support this activity."

Contact: Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd, (703) 236-1458

 

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