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Rice Technologies for Favorable Environments
Several technologies are being developed for rice produced
in favorable environments.  First,
genes are being incorporated into some rice varieties for the purpose
of increasing photosynthesis -- the mechanism by which plants convert
sunshine and water into energy -- in order to produce hardier rice
plants that grow more efficiently. Another technology being developed
for irrigated systems, again by inserting new genes into the rice
plant, allows for the rice plant to protect itself against attacks
by insects, and to ward off the bacteria and fungi that frequently
infect rice plants. Yet another technology, developed in the private
sector, confers herbicide resistance to the rice plant. Weeds represent
the largest source of yield loss in rice and a significant source
of labor costs -- herbicide-resistance technology allows farmers
to apply an herbicide over their rice fields, which kills the weeds
but leaves the rice plants unharmed. This technology may have the
largest impact on rice production in Asia, in the long run, as labor
costs continue to rise.
Rice Technologies for Fragile Ecosystems
As with the favorable environments, farmers producing rice
in unfavorable growing conditions  face
challenges brought on by insects, bacteria, fungi, and weeds. However,
rice growers in the fragile environments also must contend with
drought, flooding, and poor soils as well. Therefore, rice biotechnology
research for fragile ecosystems has also focused on combating so-called
abiotic stresses -- pressure put on plants in the field by non-living
things. Tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought, submergence
and, salty and zinc-deficient soils are all the subject of research
at IRRI, and over the long term these types of tolerances are where
the largest impacts from biotechnology may be expected in these
ecosystems. However, transgenic rice cultivars with enhanced plant
protection against insects, bacteria, or fungi, and rice with nutritional
improvements are expected to be the first technologies released
for fragile environments.
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