Indian, Aus scientists partner to develop salt-tolerant rice

From Natasha Chaku Melbourne, Sep 12 (PTI) A team of Australian researchershas partnered with an Indian research foundation in an effortto develop a variety of salt-tolerant rice, as part of abroader project to address the issue of food security. An agreement was signed between the University ofTasmania (UTAS) and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation inChennai last week for a USD 2 mllion project supported by theAustralia-India Strategic Research Fund. They will conduct research on salt-tolerant ricevarieties identified from wild species using biotechnologyapproaches in India and in Australia. Rice was one of the most important staple foods in theworld, with 92 per cent of all rice produced in Asia, saidHolger Meinke, head of the university’s School of Land andFood head. Production in this region was increasingly impairedby seawater intrusion or saline water tables rendering vastareas of land unproductive and threatening the livelihood ofmany rice farmers. "Researchers from University of Tasmania, supportedby Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, will be using a varietyof wild rice that is capable of growing in highly salinecoastal areas to identify and transfer traits that confer itsremarkable salinity-stress tolerance," Meinke said. "These traits will be transferred to traditional ricecultivars using a range of modern plantbreeding techniques tocreate a salt-tolerant rice variety which will be suitable forgrowing conditions in India and other saline environmentsaround the world," Meinke added. "The project will include exchange visits betweenIndia and Australia and is a great example of Tasmanianresearchers forming international partnerships and sharingexpertise to address issues of global significance," he said. The three-year project is being led by Universityof Tasmania Sergey Shabala who said the project is animportant effort to improve global food security as well asproduction efficiencies for Australian farmers. "Rice is Australia’s third largest cereal grainexport, and the ninth largest agricultural export. Theindustry generates around USD 800 million revenue per annum,with around USD 500 million of this coming from value-addedexports," Shabala said. "The development of a salinity-tolerant rice variety willhelp improve outcomes for Australian farmers who are affectedby transient salinity. This is the first step towardsdeveloping agricultural systems that are highly salt-tolerant. "The capabilities and technologies developed throughthis project have the potential to ultimately enhance theagricultural productivity for other major crops such as barleyand wheat," Shabala said. The University of Tasmania will also work closelywith Zhonghua Chen from the University of Western Sydney. PTINCAMS