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NSTDA joins hands with the Rice Department to develop "disease-resistant, environment-tolerant rice varieties" to cope with global warming and erratic weather. It says it is preparing patents to certify three new Thai rice varieties: flash-flood-tolerant rice, saline-soil-tolerant rice and blast-resistant rice, aiming to have a new rice variety for the world within 5 years.
On 10 February, at the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), together with the Rice Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, held a signing ceremony for cooperation under the second phase of the rainfed rice variety research and development project, to make rice resistant to disease, insects and unfavorable environmental conditions.
Dr. Theerayut Toojinda, a rice researcher at the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), NSTDA, said that they have jointly researched and developed rainfed rice varieties, producing 3 new lines: a Khao Dawk Mali 105 line tolerant of flash flooding, a Khao Dawk Mali 105 line tolerant of saline soil, and an RD6 line resistant to blast disease. These are now under application for variety certification with the Rice Department, expected in September 2010, and a patent for the world's new rice lines will be filed with the Ministry of Agriculture within the next 5 years. Dr. Theerayut said that, for the second phase of rainfed rice variety development, the three lines will be upgraded together to be more complete and robust, in line with climate change and to cope with global warming. Thai rice in many areas has faced sterility, unfilled grains and new kinds of disease, so biotechnology has been brought in to help, without genetic modification (GMO), which will shorten rice variety development from 10 years to only 5 years, and also increase yield efficiency greatly.
"This cooperation may change the form of the seed slightly from before, but it will be safe for consumers and, importantly, will help strengthen export capability and competition with other countries," said the BIOTEC rice researcher.
Dr. Suchinda Chotipanich, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the integrated cooperation of the two agencies will make research, development and improvement of Thai rice varieties faster, more efficient and of the greatest benefit to farmers. The cooperation will include support in personnel, laboratories, equipment and budget, as well as exchange of research data and transfer of research results and technology developed. It is an important step in developing the country's biotechnology research and will lead to economic expansion and better well-being for the people.
Mr. Prasert Kosalwit, Director-General of the Rice Department, added:
The main rice production research is developing rice varieties that withstand environmental conditions. The Rice Department has succeeded in improving varieties by conventional breeding. In 2006–2009, the Rice Department and NSTDA cooperated in rice breeding research using biotechnology, resulting in 3 new rice varieties now submitted for variety certification. The Rice Department's strength is its infrastructure and personnel to support research in experimental plots, while NSTDA's strength is biotechnology related to gene discovery and the development of DNA molecular markers, used to improve rice varieties for the greatest benefit to Thai rice production.
Source: Thai Post
