The 21st Century Agriculture: When Rice Research Draws Attention to Climate Variability and How Weedy Rice and Underutilized Grains Come in Handy

Abstract

Rice, the first crop to be fully sequenced and annotated in the mid-2000s, is an excellent model species for crop research due mainly to its relatively small genome and rich genetic diversity. The 130-million-year-old cereal came into the limelight in the 1960s when the semi-dwarfing gene sd-1, better known as the "green revolution" gene, resulted in the establishment of a high-yielding semi-dwarf variety IR8. Deemed as the miracle rice, IR8 saved millions of lives and revolutionized irrigated rice farming particularly in the tropics. The technology, however, spurred some unintended negative consequences, especially in prompting ubiquitous monoculture systems that increase agricultural vulnerability to extreme weather events and climate variability. One feasible way to incorporate resilience in modern rice varieties with narrow genetic backgrounds is by introgressing alleles from the germplasm of its weedy and wild relatives, or perhaps from the suitable underutilized species that harbor novel genes responsive to various biotic and abiotic stresses. This review reminisces the fascinating half-century journey of rice research and highlights the potential utilization of weedy rice and underutilized grains in modern breeding programs. Other possible alternatives to improve the sustainability of crop production systems in a changing climate are also discussed.

Morphological variation, distribution and relationship of weedy rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Peninsular Malaysia

“…The utility of potential genes from weedy rice to improve the rice germplasm can be explored toward developing commercial rice varieties with better adaptability as well as durability toward stresses and diseases (Nadir et al, 2017). The development of superior rice varieties would significantly contribute toward addressing the needs and demands of global food security, specifically in Asian countries (Mohd Hanafiah, Mispan, Lim, Baisakh, & Cheng, 2020).…”

Integrating Omics and Gene Editing Tools for Rapid Improvement of Traditional Food Plants for Diversified and Sustainable Food Security

“…Minor TFPs have so far largely been ignored and much attention is not given to them for their role in sustainable food security because of certain undesirable characteristics and their restricted geographical availability [ 44 ]. However, recent years have seen an increased interest in the revival of the traditional plants and the food systems that are based on the TFPs [ 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Efforts across the globe are ongoing to diversify the currently cultivated basket of food crops, to provide more options to the farmers to grow crops and to the consumers for diversifying their food menu [ 47 ].…”

Linking Omics and Gene Editing Tools for Rapid Improvement of Traditional Food Plants for Diversified Foods and Sustainable Food Security

“…The minor traditional food crops have so far largely been ignored and much attention is not given to them for their role in sustainable food security because of certain undesirable characteristics and their restricted geographical availability [55]. However, recent years have seen an increased interest in the revival of the traditional plants and the food systems that are based on the traditional food plants [54][55][56][57]. Efforts across the globe are going on to diversify the currently cultivated basket of food crops, to provide more options to the farmers to grow crops, to provide more options to the consumers for diversifying the food menu of their dining [58].…”