Today Rice News Headlines...
·
Trade with Iran: Areas Pakistan is looking to
tap
·
Experts want Tanzanian farmers to upgrade rice
·
Direct-seeding addresses high labor cost –
experts
·
New rice seed processing facility in the
Science City of Muñoz
·
Veggie farming to trim Kingdom’s import bill
·
DNA rice breakthrough raises 'green revolution'
hopes
·
Rice millers in violent clash in Ebonyi
·
DNA to turbocharge rice 'green revolution'
·
Direct seeding cuts labor cost in rice farming,
PhilRice says
·
DNA rice breakthrough raises 'green revolution'
hopes
·
APEDA RICE COMMODITY NEWS
News Detail...
Trade with Iran: Areas Pakistan is looking to tap
Published: February 15, 2016
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:
Desperate to
take the much-awaited step towards reviving trade relations, Pakistan is
mulling enforcing its five-year bilateral trade roadmap, already envisaged with
an ambitious target of $5 billion, up from the present $270 million.Unlike the
past, Pakistan now wants to move away from certain commodities and wants to
expand and diversify its exports.The key potential trade areas Pakistan is
eyeing are rice, horticulture, sports goods, surgical equipment, information
technology, textile goods and construction material.
“The post-sanction scenario means we could
have a significant market waiting for us,” said a senior Ministry of Commerce
officer, directly involved in Iran-related issues.
He said Pakistan earlier relied mostly on
fruit, rice and wheat exports but now seeks diversification ranging from
textiles to IT services. “On the other hand, we could import petroleum
products, electricity, leather, chemicals, fruits and vegetables from Iran,” he
said.
He further said that the government had
formulated a five-year bilateral trade roadmap which would facilitate the
private sector. However, until the time formal banking channels are opened, an
interim credible payment mechanism with Iran needs to be put in place by the
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in consultation with the Central Bank of Iran
(CBI).
At the same time, keeping in view the
substantial potential existing for export of textiles from Pakistan to Iran,
the Ministry of Commerce and TDAP are planning to hold a single country
exhibition in Tehran, primarily on textiles, in the first half of 2016.
At the same time, Iran has conveyed its
willingness to set up two additional crossing points at Gabd (Pakistan)-Reemdan
(Iran) and Mand (Pakistan)–Pishin (Iran). At present, there is only one
international crossing point on Pak-Iran border at Taftan (Pakistan) and
Mirjaveh (Iran).
The Ministry of Commerce has conveyed its
concurrence to the Ministry of Interior for opening the two crossing points.
The commerce ministry has also proposed that
the Ministry of Finance be directed to post custom officials at the said posts.
“Allowing barter trade for the border
community is also under consideration. That will be one a good source of
business for small traders on both sides of the border,” added the official.
What the private sector has to say
There is no doubt that establishment of
banking channels will pave the way for bilateral trade.
But while the government is eager to move
ahead with its roadmap and organising single-country exhibitions, the private
sector is sceptical on the way forward.
“We have not started official marketing for
the single-country exhibition in Iran, but we are noticing a great level of
interest in agro-based industries, fruits and vegetables exporters and footwear
sector who want to participate in the exhibition,” Trade Development Authority
of Pakistan (TDAP) Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha told The Express Tribune.
Despite enormous trade potential, officials
of TDAP – the country’s top body to promote exports – say the speed of progress
in business and trade will only increase once the two countries settle down
issues over banking channels.
The textile industry, which constitutes more
than 50% of the country’s exports, believes Pakistan can increase its exports
to Iran but it will require close coordination between the private and public
sector.
“There is a ‘huge’ export potential in
Iran,” Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association
(PRGMEA) Central Chairman Shaikh Mohammad Shafiq reiterated.
Pakistani rice is one of the few traditional
items that Iran imports. As far as rice exports to Iran are concerned, some are
hopeful while others say the situation will take a long time to improve.
“The Iranians have been placing orders with us
in the recent past, but we were unable to meet them due to the absence of
banking links. This has badly hurt our share in Iran as India has taken over by
doing currency swap deals even during sanctions,” Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan Chairman Muhammad Shafique said.
Published in The Express
Tribune, February 15th, 2016
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1046838/areas-pakistan-is-looking-to-tap/
Experts want Tanzanian farmers to
upgrade rice
LIMITING
WASTE: The researchers said farmers need to objectively measure the amount of
moisture in paddy before processing for a good outcome or else they could end
up losing from this value adding process.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania –
Tanzanian farmers have been encouraged to sell processed rice so as to increase
their income by nearly 50%.
According to study dubbed
‘Selling now or later, to process or not? The role of risk and time preferences
in rice farmers decisions,’ selling rice or later are more profitable for
farmers, than selling paddy or immediately after harvest.
Dr Remidius Ruhinduka was
speaking during the Environment for Development (EFD) dissemination workshop in
Dodoma recently.
However, Dr Ruhinduka said
despite having these opportunities, for some reasons, most rice farmers in
Tanzania do not go for these profitable options.
“Processed rice could increase
the income by nearly 50%. We are encouraging rice farmers to opt for these
options,” Dr Ruhinduka said,
He however highlights on the
importance of addressing some potential constraints governing such choices by
farmers.
For example, he said farmers need
to objectively measure the amount of moisture in paddy before processing for a
good outcome; else they could end up losing from this value adding
process.
Therefore he added challenge
remains to be the limited or non-existing access of moisture meters to most of
poor rice farmers in the country.
The study quotes one of the
directives of the former Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda who earlier advised rice
farmers to process their crop before the sale.
“Rice farmers, process your crop
before you sell it. Let’s have no more selling of the paddy,” the Premeir
said.
Different researchers have also
predicted for bright future for this cash crop.
A Principal Researcher at the
International Rice Research Institute, Abdelbagi Ismail said Tanzania is set to
become the next rice granary in Africa.
“It has great potential to expand
as it has advantages of having ample suitable lands and water resources as well
as good climate,” he said.
He added that Tanzania is poised
to meet the growing demand for rice in Eastern Africa.
It can potentially double or even
triple its production through a strategy that combines improving agronomic
practices, delivering improved high-yielding rice varieties as well as capacity
strengthening in research and outreach.
According to Firmin Mizambwa,
Chief Executive Officer of the Morogoro based Agriculture Seed Agency (ASA),
Tanzania produces over one million tons of rice per annum and is second only to
Madagascar which leads with an astounding 4.3 tons of rice production per
annum.
“However, we are on better
position to overcome Madagascar he said, adding that (Madagascar) being an
Island, cannot expand its paddy farms while our country still has ample virgin
land on which more estates can be established.”
According to him, at the moment,
Tanzania tops the entire East African Region in rice production.
The amount of rice produced in
Kilombero and Rufiji valleys is expected to triple from the current 500,000
tons to 1.5 million tons by 2015.
Speaking during a two-day rice
stakeholders’ workshop in Dar es Salaam recently, the Coordinator for the
Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), Dr Mary Shetto,
said Tanzania had every required factor including favourable environment to
lead in rice production in Eastern and Central Africa.
“We want to see farmers producing
rice in amounts that would surpass local consumption needs enabling Tanzania to
be a notable exporter of the globally popular cereal,” Dr Shetto said.
She added that the country was
determined to ensure that it becomes one of the largest rice producers in
Africa through improved and modern farming techniques.
“Tanzania has high chances of
leading in rice production in the Eastern Africa and Central Africa. Rice
consumption has tremendously increased in recent years. We thus want to ensure
that we produce in abundance while also concentrating on improving local rice
processing plants,” she said.
However their some challenges
that frustrate rice production in the country, among them include being
dependence on rainfall and poor farming techniques were an impediment to
large-scale production.
Due to this, new rice growing
initiatives would put a lot of focus on irrigation and would use rice species
that do not require much water.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Security and Cooperatives said is now keen on eliminating the challenges that
hamper large-scale rice production.
According to the government the
initial move will involve improving seed quality, enriching soil fertility and
controlling fertilizer distribution.
In Tanzania rice is the second
food crop that is widely produced in the world after maize with its popularity
gaining momentum in Tanzania. Tanzania is among the 25 countries that produce
rice in Africa. The country targets to boost production from the 875,120 tons
recorded in 2007/2008 to 1,750,240 tons in 2017/2018.
By
Leonard Magomba, Sunday, February 14th, 2016
http://www.busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=4830&pLv=3&srI=85&spI=464
Direct-seeding addresses high labor cost –
experts
POSTED BY WEB TEAM POSTED ON FEB - 9 - 2016
PhilRice Agronomist Myrna D. Malabayabas said that the method
can be done either by dry or wet seeding and does not require seedbed
preparation.
“The dry direct-seeding method is more commonly used in rainfed
and upland areas. It involves sowing of pre-germinated seeds on dry soil
surface and then incorporating the seeds either by ploughing or harrowing. Wet
direct-seeding, on the other hand, is practiced during dry and wet seasons in
irrigated and rainfed areas. It is done either through broadcasting or drilling
pre-germinated seeds with the use of a drum-seeder on a wet, well-leveled
paddy,” Malabayabas explained.
Direct-seeded rice matures earlier than transplanted rice.
Hence, labor requirements and expenses for crop establishment and the time
spent on crop management are reduced.
A PhilRice study titled Benchmarking the
Philippine rice economy relative to major rice-producing countries in Asia, says that P4.42 is spent on labor cost for every kilogram of
rice on transplanting while P3.28 is spent on direct-seeding.
|
Crop establishment method
|
Labor cost
|
Labor requirement (1 man-day
= 8 hours of work)
|
|
Direct-seeding
|
P3.28/kg of rice
|
2 man-days/ha
|
|
Transplanting
|
P4.42/kg of rice
|
25 man-days/ha
|
In direct-seeding method, farmers can save up to P1.14 on labor
cost for every kilogram of rice they produce and 23-man days for every hectare
of their field.
In a seminar titled Direct-seeded
Rice: Progress, Prospects, and Challenges at PhilRice on 21 January, Dr.
Vethaiya T. Balasubramanian said that managing weeds is one of the challenges
in using the direct-seeding method.
The former agronomist at the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI) explained that weeds germinate simultaneously with rice due to
the absence of water that suppresses their growth. Nevertheless, options are
available to address the problem.
“Among the ways to manage weeds include narrow spacing and uniform
plant population, appropriate water depth and timing, use of weed-competitive
varieties, and herbicide rotation and combination,” Dr. Balasubramanian said.
Malabayabas added that savings from the labor cost can offset
the expenses in weed and pest control.
“When the Integrated Crop Management
(ICM) is followed properly, the optimum yield is comparable to that of
transplanted method,” he said.
Experts at PhilRice recommend varieties for the direct-seeding
method. These varieties are early maturing, resistant to drought, and can
attain a maximum yield of at least 6 t/ha.
|
Recommendation Varieties
|
Days of Maturity
|
Maximum Yield
|
|
NSIC Rc272 (Sahod Ulan 2)
|
110 DAS (days after sowing)
|
6.4 t/ha
|
|
NSIC Rc348 (Sahod Ulan 12)
|
103 DAS
|
5 t/ha
|
|
NSIC Rc346 (Sahod Ulan 11)
|
105 DAS
|
6.2 t/ha
|
For more information about the
direct-seeding technology, call or text PhilRice Text Center 0920-911-1398 or
email prri.mail@philrice.gov.ph.
http://www.philrice.gov.ph/direct-seeding-addresses-high-labor-cost-experts/#sthash.jyjv0IC3.dpuf
New rice seed processing facility in the
Science City of Muñoz
POSTED BY WEB TEAM POSTED ON FEB - 2 - 2016
A new rice seed processing
facility was established at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)
in the Science City of Muñoz to help farmers and seed growers in neighboring
provinces have an access to high-quality seeds.These seeds have high seedling
vigor, meaning, they have a good survival rate and root anchorage, which leads
to a higher yield advantage.The facility worth more than $2 M is funded by the
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and will house advanced
equipment that can process up to 2 tons of seeds per day.
“The project’s objective is to
increase the use of high-quality seeds of our farmers in Region III and
Pangasinan and also to increase the efficiency of processing and certification
of rice seeds by reducing the time of processing and seed testing,” PhilRice
Executive Director Dr. Calixto M.
Protacio said during the
groundbreaking ceremony, 26 January.According to studies, the adoption of
high-quality seeds can contribute to 5-10% increase in yield.“With this
facility, we will be able to modernize the production and improve the quality
of rice seeds and eventually help Filipino farmers increase rice productivity,”
said Kim Jae Shin, Korea Ambassador to the Philippines.The facility is expected
to be completed in 2017.
- See more at:
http://www.philrice.gov.ph/new-rice-seed-processing-facility-science-city-munoz/#sthash.Y4ilgMtn.dpuf
Veggie farming to trim Kingdom’s import bill
Mon,
15 February 2016
Government officials, economists and businesses discussed the
implementation of a draft program to invigorate vegetable farming in the
Kingdom and cut imports from neighbouring countries in half by 2018.
The workshop, organised by the Center for Policy Studies and
Agriculture Ministry last week, revolved around the Cambodian government’s $20
million infusion into the agriculture sector, with a focus on vegetable
farming, rice seed production and crop diversification.
Mey Kalyan, senior adviser for the Supreme National Economic
Council, said currently the Kingdom was importing close to 400 tonnes of
vegetables a day, at a cost of $200 million a year.
Despite, Vietnam’s geographical advantages for vegetable
farming, which accounts for a bulk of these imports, the government was looking
to at least meet the demands of the market by 2018, he added.
“Vietnam can produce some things better than we can because of
its plateaus and the climate is better,” Kalyan said. “But, we have to figure
out what we can do to reduce imports.”The draft program, entitled the Boosting
Food Production Project, aims to increase local production to 200 tonnes a day,
or 70,000 tonnes a year, while at the same time cutting imports by half to 200
tonnes a day by 2018.
Kalyan added that a central market place will be created to
filter in all the vegetables grown in the country, after which they would be
subjected to health standards requirements before being sold to the consumer.
“Unless farmers are linked to a market, they will not know what
to produce,” Kalyan said.
While linking farmers to a market was one step in the process,
he added, linking them to each other and getting vegetable farmers to work as a
community would help increase their sales prospects.
Another aspect of the program is to improve the quality of seeds
by getting millers and farmers to work together on using high quality jasmine
and fragrant rice seeds.
“There is [currently] no linkage of the whole value chain. That
is why I emphasise that rice millers’ link with rice farmers and for them to
work with the rice seed,” Kalyan said.
Chan Sophal, director of the Center for Policy Studies, said
that a major challenge in improving the quality of rice was obtaining adequate
technology that will improve cultivation practices.
However, he emphasised that it is even more important to
increase vegetable production because, while rice is produced in surplus,
vegetable production has not met demand.
Contact author: Ayanna
Runcie
A woman cleans vegetables at a farm in Kandal's Muk
Kampoul district. Heng Chivoan
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/veggie-farming-trim-kingdoms-import-bill
DNA rice breakthrough
raises 'green revolution' hopes
Rice-growing techniques learned through thousands of years of
trial and error are about to be turbocharged with DNA technology in a
breakthrough hailed by scientists as a potential second "green
revolution".
Over the next few years farmers are expected to have new genome
sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of problems
that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of humanity.
Drawing on a massive bank of varieties stored in the Philippines
and state-of-the-art Chinese technology, scientists recently completed the DNA
sequencing of more than 3,000 of the world's most significant types of rice.
With the huge pool of data unlocked, rice breeders will soon be
able to produce higher-yielding varieties much more quickly and under
increasingly stressful conditions, scientists involved with the project told
AFP.
Other potential new varieties being dreamt about are ones that
are resistant to certain pests and diseases, or types that pack more nutrients
and vitamins.
"This will be a big help to strengthen food security for
rice eaters," said Kenneth McNally, an American biochemist at the
Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Since rice was first domesticated thousands of years ago,
farmers have improved yields through various planting techniques.
For the past century breeders have isolated traits, such as high
yields and disease resistance, then developed them through cross breeding.
However, they did not know which genes controlled which traits,
leaving much of the effort to lengthy guesswork.
The latest breakthroughs in molecular genetics promise to
fast-track the process, eliminating much of the mystery, scientists involved in
the project told AFP.
Better rice varieties can now be expected to be developed and
passed on to farmers' hands in less than three years, compared with 12 without
the guidance of DNA sequencing.
Genome sequencing involves decoding DNA, the hereditary material
of all living cells and organisms. The process roughly compares with solving a
giant jigsaw puzzle made up of billions of microscopic pieces.
A multinational team undertook the four-year project with the
DNA decoding primarily in China by BGI, the world's biggest genome sequencing
firm.
Leaf tissue from the samples, drawn mostly from IRRI's gene bank
of 127,000 varieties were ground by McNally's team at its laboratory in Los
Banos, near Manila's southern outskirts, before being shipped for sequencing.
A non-profit research outfit founded in 1960, IRRI works with
governments to develop advanced varieties of the grain.
Farmers and breeders will need the new DNA tools, which
scientists take pains to say is not genetic modification, because of the
increasingly stressful conditions for rice growing expected in the 21st
Century.
While there will be many more millions to feed, there is
expected to be less land available for planting as farms are converted for
urban development, destroyed by rising sea levels or converted to other crops.
Rice-paddy destroying floods, drought and storms are also
expected to worsen with climate change. Meanwhile, pests and diseases that
evolve to resist herbicides and pesticides will be more difficult to kill.
And fresh water, vital for growing rice, is expected to become
an increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world.
As scientists develop the tools necessary to harness the full
advantages of the rice genome database, the hope is that new varieties can be
developed to combat all those problems.
"Essentially, you will be able to design what properties
you want in rice, in terms of the drought resistance, resistance to diseases,
high yields, and others," said Russian bioanalytics expert and IRRI team
member Nickolai Alexandrov.
Scientists behind the project hope it will lead to a second
"green revolution".
The first began in the 1960s as the development of
higher-yielding varieties of wheat and rice was credited with preventing
massive global food shortages around the world.
That giant leap to producing more food involved the
cross-breeding of unrelated varieties to produce new ones that grew faster and
produced higher yields, mainly by being able to respond better to fertiliser.
But the massive gains of the earlier efforts, which earnt US
geneticist Norman Borlaug the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, have since reached a
plateau.
Although the DNA breakthrough has generated much optimism, IRRI
scientists caution it is not a magic bullet for all rice-growing problems, and
believe that genetically modifying is also necessary.
They also warn that governments will still need to implement the
right policies, such as in regards to land and water use.
One of the key priorities of IRRI is to pack more nutrients into
rice, transforming it into a tool to fight ailments linked to inadequate diets
in poor countries as well as lifestyle diseases in wealthier countries.
"We're interested to understand the nutritional value....
we're looking into the enrichment of micronutrients," Nese Sreenivasulu, the
Indian head of the IRRI's grain quality and nutrition centre told AFP.
Nese believes Type-2 diabetes, which afflicts hundreds of
million of people, can be checked by breeding for particular varieties of rice
which when cooked will release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly.
IRRI scientists are also hoping to breed rice varieties with a
higher component of zinc, which prevents stunting and deaths from diarohea in
rice-eating Southeast Asia.
- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/science-and-tech/dna-rice-breakthrough-raises-green-revolution-hopes#sthash.iHnHg26o.dpuf
Rice millers in violent clash in Ebonyi
The leadership tussle rocking the
Abakaliki Rice Milling Company got messier at the weekend as two rival factions
clashed in the Ebonyi State capital.A factional Chairmen, Chukwuemeka
Nwankashi, was hospitalized following machete cuts he received on his head and
face.
It was gathered that the clash
could have been bloodier but for the quick intervention of the Police.
Parallel elections held on Friday
by the two factions produced two parallel executives. One faction supported by
government held its election at the Abakaliki Township Stadium where the former
chairman, Joseph Ununu, was re-elected.
The second faction elected Mr.
Nwankashi as its chairman during their election which held at the mill’s hall.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on
Sunday, Mr. Nwankashi accused Mr. Ununu of causing the fracas.
He alleged that Mr Ununu’s
faction armed with various weapons and on his (Ununu’s) orders swooped on him
and his supporters with dangerous weapons as they were celebrating their
victory on Friday. “We planned to have our elections but contrary to our
constitution, government interfered in it. According to our constitution, it is
only registered members that will vote during the election.
“We told government to allow us
hold the election at our hall but they refused and said we must hold the
elections at the stadium. We still agreed.
“But when we got to the stadium
at 8 a.m. as they fixed, we discovered that they had brought in hoodlums to
take over the stadium. We told them that those people are not authentic members
of the association but they refused listen so we left.
“The authentic members then went
to the mill and held our election but before that we stopped at government
house to let the state government know what was happening.
“At the election, I won by 158
votes as I was unopposed. Other officers were also elected thus: Elias Nwogwu
(Treasurer), Chijioke Ilodiba (Vice Chairman) and Emeka Agu Ozo financial
secretary.
“After the election, we went to
celebrate. And when we were celebrating, the former Chairman Joseph Ununu aka
Zuma came with thugs armed with various dangerous weapons and attacked us”.
“They used cutlass and cut my
head and my face. They also injured many others. If not for the intervention of
the police we would have been killed. But the police’s timely intervention saved
us and they took us to hospital.
“The former Chairman even boosted
that he has the backing of government and that they told him to eliminate
anyone opposing him.”
He called on the state government
to intervene adding that “even if they have interest in a particular candidate
they should come and tell us. We only want the proper things to be done”.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Uchenna Orji, has said that
the state will only recognize the election which produced Mr. Ununu as the
Chairman of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Association.
Mr. Orji said this while reacting
to the emergence of two chairmen after the elections.
According to him, the state
government has done all it can to ensure that peace reigns at the mill but its
efforts were frustrated by selfish individuals.
“The government therefore
constituted a committee from the office of the Special Adviser on Trade Unions
and Market Development headed by myself with other commissioners as members,”
he said.
He noted that the committee
designed a time table for elections which all aspirants accepted as the
election was fixed for February 12 at the Abakaliki Township stadium.
“All 13 aspirants were screened
as provided by the constitution of the association with recourse to the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and at the end, we adopted the
Option A4 system with the delegates raising their hands to be counted.
Mr. Orji said Mr. Ununu
eventually emerged as the chairman, saying the election which produced him was
conducted in the presence of security officials and accredited election
observers.
“The purported parallel election
was conducted by a cartel inside the mill who are produce merchants that
connive with rice vendors to brand the rice produced at the mill with name of
other state governments.
He said that their acts gives the
false impression that Ebonyi rice is produced by other states and urged the
rice millers and the public to conduct their rice–businesses without fear of
molestation.
Mr. Ununu on his part denied
leading the attack.
He, however, maintained that he
was duly elected by the members as the people who conducted the parallel
election “are those installed by the immediate past governor while the new
government belongs to the millers.
DNA to
turbocharge rice 'green revolution'
·
TECHNOLOGY
·
Monday 15
February 2016 - 6:32am
Farmers work in
a rice field near the International Rice Research Institute in Laguna, south of
Manila, 10 October, 2015. Photo: AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
LOS
BANOS, Philippines - Rice-growing techniques learned through thousands of
years of trial and error are about to be turbocharged with DNA technology in a
breakthrough hailed by scientists as a potential second "green
revolution".
Over the
next few years farmers are expected to have new genome sequencing technology at
their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of problems that threaten to curtail
production of the grain that feeds half of humanity.
Drawing
on a massive bank of varieties stored in the Philippines and state-of-the-art
Chinese technology, scientists recently completed the DNA sequencing of more
than 3,000 of the world's most significant types of rice.
With the
huge pool of data unlocked, rice breeders will soon be able to produce
higher-yielding varieties much more quickly and under increasingly stressful
conditions, scientists involved with the project told AFP.
Other
potential new varieties being dreamt about are ones that are resistant to
certain pests and diseases, or types that pack more nutrients and vitamins.
"This
will be a big help to strengthen food security for rice eaters," said
Kenneth McNally, an American biochemist at the Philippines-based International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Since
rice was first domesticated thousands of years ago, farmers have improved
yields through various planting techniques.
For the
past century breeders have isolated traits, such as high yields and disease
resistance, then developed them through cross breeding.
However,
they did not know which genes controlled which traits, leaving much of the effort
to lengthy guesswork.
The
latest breakthroughs in molecular genetics promise to fast-track the process,
eliminating much of the mystery, scientists involved in the project told AFP.
Better
rice varieties can now be expected to be developed and passed on to farmers'
hands in less than three years, compared with 12 without the guidance of DNA
sequencing.
Genome
sequencing involves decoding DNA, the hereditary material of all living cells
and organisms. The process roughly compares with solving a giant jigsaw puzzle
made up of billions of microscopic pieces.
A
multinational team undertook the four-year project with the DNA decoding
primarily in China by BGI, the world's biggest genome sequencing firm.
Leaf
tissue from the samples, drawn mostly from IRRI's gene bank of 127,000
varieties were ground by McNally's team at its laboratory in Los Banos, near
Manila's southern outskirts, before being shipped for sequencing.
A
non-profit research outfit founded in 1960, IRRI works with governments to
develop advanced varieties of the grain.
Threats
to rice
Farmers
and breeders will need the new DNA tools, which scientists take pains to say is
not genetic modification, because of the increasingly stressful conditions for
rice growing expected in the 21st Century.
While
there will be many more millions to feed, there is expected to be less land
available for planting as farms are converted for urban development, destroyed
by rising sea levels or converted to other crops.
Rice-paddy
destroying floods, drought and storms are also expected to worsen with climate
change. Meanwhile, pests and diseases that evolve to resist herbicides and
pesticides will be more difficult to kill.
And
fresh water, vital for growing rice, is expected to become an increasingly
scarce commodity in many parts of the world.
As
scientists develop the tools necessary to harness the full advantages of the
rice genome database, the hope is that new varieties can be developed to combat
all those problems.
"Essentially,
you will be able to design what properties you want in rice, in terms of the
drought resistance, resistance to diseases, high yields, and others," said
Russian bioanalytics expert and IRRI team member Nickolai Alexandrov.
Food
revolution
Scientists
behind the project hope it will lead to a second "green revolution".
The
first began in the 1960s as the development of higher-yielding varieties of
wheat and rice was credited with preventing massive global food shortages
around the world.
That
giant leap to producing more food involved the cross-breeding of unrelated
varieties to produce new ones that grew faster and produced higher yields,
mainly by being able to respond better to fertiliser.
But the
massive gains of the earlier efforts, which earnt US geneticist Norman Borlaug
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, have since reached a plateau.
Although
the DNA breakthrough has generated much optimism, IRRI scientists caution it is
not a magic bullet for all rice-growing problems, and believe that genetically
modifying is also necessary.
They
also warn that governments will still need to implement the right policies,
such as in regards to land and water use.
One of
the key priorities of IRRI is to pack more nutrients into rice, transforming it
into a tool to fight ailments linked to inadequate diets in poor countries as
well as lifestyle diseases in wealthier countries.
"We're
interested to understand the nutritional value.... we're looking into the
enrichment of micronutrients," Nese Sreenivasulu, the Indian head of the
IRRI's grain quality and nutrition centre told AFP.
Nese
believes Type-2 diabetes, which afflicts hundreds of million of people, can be
checked by breeding for particular varieties of rice which when cooked will
release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly.
IRRI
scientists are also hoping to breed rice varieties with a higher component of
zinc, which prevents stunting and deaths from diarohea in rice-eating Southeast
Asia.
https://www.enca.com/technology/dna-turbocharge-rice-green-revolution
Direct seeding
cuts labor cost in rice farming, PhilRice says
Direct seeding, a crop-establishment method where pre-germinated
seeds are sown directly onto soil surface, can help minimize the labor cost in
rice farming in the Philippines, the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice) said.PhilRice agronomist Myrna Malabayabas said direct-seeded rice
matures earlier than transplanted rice, reducing the labor requirements and
expenses for crop establishment, and the time spent on crop management.
Malabayabas said the direct-seeding method can be done wither by
dry or wet seeding and does not require seedbed preparation. “The dry direct-seeding
method is more commonly used in rain-fed and upland areas. It involves sowing
of pregerminated seeds on dry soil surface and then incorporating the seeds
either by ploughing or harrowing,” Malabayabas said in a statement.
“Wet direct seeding, on the other hand, is practiced during dry
and wet seasons in irrigated and rain-fed areas. It is done either through
broadcasting or drilling pregerminated seeds with the use of a drum-seeder on a
wet, well-leveled paddy,” she added.
A study by the PhilRice, titled, Benchmarking the Philippine
Rice Economy Relative to Major Rice-Producing Countries in Asia, showed
that P4.42 is spent on the
labor cost for every kilogram of rice through the transplanting method, while only P3.28 is spent in the
direct-seeding method.
labor cost for every kilogram of rice through the transplanting method, while only P3.28 is spent in the
direct-seeding method.
“In direct-seeding method, farmers can save up to P1.14 on labor
cost for every kilogram of rice they produce and 23-man days for every hectare
of their field,” the PhilRice said, adding that it only takes 2-man days per
hectare required in direct seeding.
Dr. Vethaiya Balasubramanian, a former agronomist at the
International Rice Research Institute, said managing weeds is one of the
challenges farmers need to address in using the direct-seeding method.
Balasubramanian said weeds germinate simultaneously with rice
due to the absence of water that suppresses their growth. However, she added
that there are options available to manage the
problem.
problem.
DNA rice breakthrough raises 'green revolution' hopes
By AFP
Added 15th February 2016
This will be a big help to strengthen food security for rice eaters
In this photograph taken on October 10, 2015, a rice stalk is seen
in a paddy field at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna,
south of Manila. Rice-growing techniques earned through thousands of years of
trial and error are about to be turbocharged with DNA technology in a
breakthrough hailed by scientists as a potential second "green
revolution". Over the next few years farmers are expected to have new
genome sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of
problems that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of
humanity. AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS / AFP / NOEL CELIS
Over the next few years farmers are expected to have new genome
sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of problems
that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of humanity.
Drawing on a massive bank of varieties stored in the Philippines
and state-of-the-art Chinese technology, scientists recently completed the DNA
sequencing of more than 3,000 of the world's most significant types of rice.
In this photograph taken on October 10, 2015, a rice stalk is seen
in a paddy field at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna,
south of Manila. Rice-growing techniques earned through thousands of years of
trial and error are about to be turbocharged with DNA technology in a
breakthrough hailed by scientists as a potential second "green
revolution". Over the next few years farmers are expected to have new
genome sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of
problems that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of
humanity. AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS / AFP / NOEL CELIS
With the huge pool of data unlocked, rice breeders will soon be
able to produce higher-yielding varieties much more quickly and under
increasingly stressful conditions, scientists involved with the project told
AFP.
Other potential new varieties being dreamt about are ones that are
resistant to certain pests and diseases, or types that pack more nutrients and
vitamins.
"This will be a big help to strengthen food security for rice
eaters," said Kenneth McNally, an American biochemist at the
Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Since rice was first domesticated thousands of years ago, farmers
have improved yields through various planting techniques.
For the past century breeders have isolated traits, such as high
yields and disease resistance, then developed them through cross breeding.
However, they did not know which genes controlled which traits,
leaving much of the effort to lengthy guesswork.
The latest breakthroughs in molecular genetics promise to
fast-track the process, eliminating much of the mystery, scientists involved in
the project told AFP.
Better rice varieties can now be expected to be developed and
passed on to farmers' hands in less than three years, compared with 12 without
the guidance of DNA sequencing.
Genome sequencing involves decoding DNA, the hereditary material of
all living cells and organisms. The process roughly compares with solving a
giant jigsaw puzzle made up of billions of microscopic pieces.
A multinational team undertook the four-year project with the DNA
decoding primarily in China by BGI, the world's biggest genome sequencing firm.
Leaf tissue from the samples, drawn mostly from IRRI's gene bank of
127,000 varieties were ground by McNally's team at its laboratory in Los Banos,
near Manila's southern outskirts, before being shipped for sequencing.
A non-profit research outfit founded in 1960, IRRI works with
governments to develop advanced varieties of the grain.
Threats to rice
Farmers and breeders will need the new DNA tools, which scientists
take pains to say is not genetic modification, because of the increasingly
stressful conditions for rice growing expected in the 21st Century.
While there will be many more millions to feed, there is expected
to be less land available for planting as farms are converted for urban
development, destroyed by rising sea levels or converted to other crops.
Rice-paddy destroying floods, drought and storms are also expected
to worsen with climate change. Meanwhile, pests and diseases that evolve to
resist herbicides and pesticides will be more difficult to kill.
And fresh water, vital for growing rice, is expected to become an
increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world.
As scientists develop the tools necessary to harness the full
advantages of the rice genome database, the hope is that new varieties can be
developed to combat all those problems.
"Essentially, you will be able to design what properties you
want in rice, in terms of the drought resistance, resistance to diseases, high
yields, and others," said Russian bioanalytics expert and IRRI team member
Nickolai Alexandrov.
Food revolution
Scientists behind the project hope it will lead to a second
"green revolution".
The first began in the 1960s as the development of higher-yielding
varieties of wheat and rice was credited with preventing massive global food
shortages around the world.
That giant leap to producing more food involved the cross-breeding
of unrelated varieties to produce new ones that grew faster and produced higher
yields, mainly by being able to respond better to fertiliser.
But the massive gains of the earlier efforts, which earnt US
geneticist Norman Borlaug the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, have since reached a
plateau.
Although the DNA breakthrough has generated much optimism, IRRI
scientists caution it is not a magic bullet for all rice-growing problems, and
believe that genetically modifying is also necessary.
They also warn that governments will still need to implement the
right policies, such as in regards to land and water use.
One of the key priorities of IRRI is to pack more nutrients into
rice, transforming it into a tool to fight ailments linked to inadequate diets
in poor countries as well as lifestyle diseases in wealthier countries.
"We're interested to understand the nutritional value....
we're looking into the enrichment of micronutrients," Nese Sreenivasulu,
the Indian head of the IRRI's grain quality and nutrition centre told AFP.
Nese believes Type-2 diabetes, which afflicts hundreds of million
of people, can be checked by breeding for particular varieties of rice which
when cooked will release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly.
IRRI scientists are also hoping to breed rice varieties with a
higher component of zinc, which prevents stunting and deaths from diarohea in
rice-eating Southeast Asia.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1417128/dna-rice-breakthrough-raises-green-revolution-hopes#sthash.dl1wI6tD.dpuf
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