Untapped Rice Varieties Could Sustain Crop Supplies in Face of Climate Change
Published:22 Jun.2021 Source:Earlham Institute
Local rice varieties in Vietnam could be used to help breed improved crops with higher resilience to climate change, according to a new study published in Rice.
Earlham Institute researchers are part of an international collaboration with genebanks and rice breeders in Vietnam -- championed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to help abolish world poverty and hunger -- are aiming to identify varieties that can survive an increasingly unpredictable climate. The new genomic data they have generated will significantly support efforts to breed resilient rice crops for optimum global production. The unparalleled geography and history of Vietnam, together with its diverse range of ecosystems and latitudinal range, means it has been blessed with a vast diversity of rice landraces.