Breeding High Quality Rice by Anther Culture Crossing the Hybrid with an Aromatic Rice Cultivar

News source: Department of Agriculture and Forestry Extension, MARD, Vietnam
For further information, contact Nguyen Thi Kin Tien and Cuu Long, Delta Rice Research Institute, Omon, Can Tho, Vietnam, E-mail: CLRRI@hcm.vnn.vn, 2003-09-01

Anther Culture to Breed Aromatic Rice

The advent of various biotechnological techniques in recent years has offered new tools for developing high yielding rice varieties possessing good grain characteristics, such as aroma, to boost rice export and meet domestic demand. Among these tools, anther culture is emerging as an effective technique in rice breeding, particularly when applied to potential hybrid.

Four Aromatic Rice Varieties Used As Parents

Four aromatic varieties were used as parents: DS 20, IR 68144, Kloong Luang 1, and Suphan Buri. Eight F1 hybrids were selected for anther culture. N6 or MS were used as basic medium for anther culture. Panicles were collected prior to emergence from flag leaf. Cold treatment of panicles was carried out at 10oC for 7 days in the incubator. After cold treatment, the spikelets were surface sterilized with alcohol and HgCl2. Anthers were taken out aseptically from the spikelets and placed on the callus induction medium. The cultures were incubated in the dark at 20oC. When the calli emerging from the anther lobe grew, they were transferred to the regeneration medium and placed under continuous fluorescent light for plant regeneration. A0 plants were observed and collected to advance to A1 generation and selected for A2 generation.

Promising Lines

Several promising lines from the hybrids Suphan Buri/OM 1490 and Kloong Luang 1/CM 16-27 were evaluated for yield potential and quality traits. Some lines showing good performance have been tested in large scale in the Mekong Delta. In addition, more than 300 additional doubled haploid lines from other hybrids are under evaluation.

This study showed that the application of anther culture holds promise in rice breeding particularly for the improvement of grain quality traits.

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