Scientists at the Rice Research Station of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) at Vyttila have successfully completed the first phase of field trials of a new variety of paddy tolerant to salinity intrusion, a major challenge faced by lowland farmers in Kerala.
The new variety was engineered in 2015 by introducing genes tolerant to salinity and iron toxicity into Jyothi, the most popular rice variety in the State, known for its superior grain quality. The scientists used the introgressive hybridisation technique to move the saltwater tolerant gene, Saltol QTL, from Pokkali rice to the gene pool of Jyothi.
“Results of large area trials have shown that the Saltol introgressed variety is as good as Jyothi in terms of yield. The tests have confirmed the possibility of cultivating the introgressed Jyothi lines in saline areas,” says K.S.Shylaraj, Professor and Head, RRS, Vyttila.
The KAU launched the intensive molecular breeding programme in 2008 for the development of stress-tolerant rice varieties for less favourable environments.
The programme involves the introgressive hybridisation of three paddy varieties, namely Jyothi, Uma and Jaya, to make them tolerant to both salinity and submergence. For submergence tolerance, the researchers introgressed the Sub 1 gene, characteristic of the FR-13A rice in Odisha, to build resilience to flash floods up to two weeks.
KAU Vice Chancellor P.Rajendran said the new rice varieties would help boost productivity and arrest crop loss due to salinity intrusion and floods. “Farmers in Kaipad, Kuttanad and Kole tracts will be benefited,” he said.
Introgressive hybridisation is the technique of transferring a gene from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of a hybrid with one of its parent species.
