Wild rice MAGIC

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Limited genetic variation in cultivated rice is a major factor responsible for the declining rates of yield improvement since the Green Revolution. Substantial and underexploited genetic variation exists within wild relatives of rice that improve tolerance to stresses. We will initiate the first program to mix alleles from all wild-rices, select those with benefit under stress and introduce them into cultivated rice. To date, alleles from individual non-domesticated rice species have been combined into elite varieties. While useful, this is both limited in scope and ignores much of the uncharacterized allelic variation present in wild-relatives. Furthermore, combining genomes can produce desirable phenotypes in progeny that are absent in parents. This breeding program will be underpinned by analysis of the genomes of the lines that we generate and by phenotyping to assess how each line responds to a wide range of stresses. The germplasm that we generate will be supplied to partners in Africa and India for testing in field sites, and to allow speedy supply of good seed to farmers.