Saturday, October 10, 2015

Global Information System on PGRFA

Published on Oct 9, 2015



The Global Information System on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will make the search for deeper information on diverse data sets easier for the global community by creating a new global public good in the form of a digitized data pool on food plants. Since 2007 the seed treaty (ITPGRFA) has facilitated the pooling and exchange of crucial genetic material of the world’s most important food crops, supporting their collective management and encouraging their use – and maintaining the pooled material as a public good under the management of the global community. The new System will also make available key information that add value to the genetic resources for farmers, breeders, the seed sector and the scientific community.

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Friday, October 9, 2015

IRRI at Young Rice Scientists Tutugunan ang kahirapan at Gutom sa Bansa


Ang International Rice Research Institute (IRRI ) sa Los Banos Laguna ay dinagsa ng mga “Young Rice Scientist’s” mula iba’t ibang lahi sa mundo kamakailan (Enero 27, 2015), Layunin nito na mapaunlad ang ating pag-aangkat ng bigas sa buong mundo. Para na rin sa kinabukasan ng mga susunod na henerasyon.
Pag dating ng grupo ng mga mamamahayag (after lunch), sinimulan ang programa, kasunod nito ang “GroudBreaking ceremony” ng Lloyd T. Evans plant Growth Facility.
Sa Pagsisimula ng Programa, ito ay pinangunahan nina Grant Singkleton at Janelle Jung. Ang nakapaloob sa nasabing Programa ay tinalakay ng mga bisita buhat sa ibat-ibang bansa:
  • Post-harvest losses by Rodents ( Scientist Nyo Me Htwe )
  • Induced mutations alter 0 13C values in C4 plants ( Scientist Govinda Rizal )
  • Supporting women alter in rice farming: Where can we contribute ( Scientist Pieter Rutsaert )
  • Testing C4 gene promoters ( Scientist Shanta Karki )
  • How learning alliance or adaptive management approach affects innovation ( Scientist Rica Joy Flor )
  • Increasing rice yield through pyramiding high value genes ( Scientist Ramkumar Gandhimari )
  • Targeted genome editing through CRISPR/Cas9 technology ( Scientist Akshaya K Biswal )
  • Enhancing rice straw management to mitigate environmental footprint ( Scientist Nguyen Van Hung )
  • Why getting muddy matters: Lessons learned from getting young scientists out of the lab and into the field. ( Scientist Janelle Jung )
  • SNP marker development for rice breeding ( Scientist Maria S Dwiyante )
  • Population structure in 3000 rice genomes ( Scientist Dmitri Chebotarev )
  • Mutagenesis for discovery of genes affecting the leaf vein density in a model C4 monocot ( Scientist Vivek Thakur )
  • Understanding adaptation of rice across varying environments: Traits, trait interactions and QTLs ( Scientist Shalabh Dixit )
  • Night inspiration and sink activity reveals high night temperature induced yield and quality loss and rice. ( Scientist Rajeev Nayan Bahuguna )
  • Effect of land configuration on water productivity and crop performance in rice-based cropping system. ( Scientist Krisha Devkota )
  • Biotect + breeding = healthier rice varieties ( Scientist Jessica Rey )
  • Setaria photosynthetic mutant screen using Plant Screen Phenotyping System ( Scientist Jolly Chatterjee )
  • C4 gene stacking ( Scientist HsiangChun Lin )


Nagkaisa ang mga Kabataang Scientists at mga miyembro ng International Rice Research Institute (IRRI ), na tugunan na mabawasan ang kahirapan at gutom sa Bansa. Sa pamamagitan nang malawakang produksiyon ng Bigas at kapaki-pakinabang sa kalikasan.

Ayon sa IRRI, ang mga magsasaka umano ang unang makikinabang sa mga makabagong teknik sa produksiyon ng bigas, na maging kuwalipikado ito sa merkado, at may siguridad na maiingatan ang kalusugan sa kung sinuman ang makakakain nito.

Sapagkat malaki ang suporta ng mga tumutulong na malalaking Bansa, Publiko at Pribadong Sektor na mapalago pa ang mga pasilidad ng pagsasanayan ng mgaScientist’s. Kung pagbabasihan sa pangangailangan ng bigas sa buong mundo, ito ay umabot na sa walo-hanggang sampung milyon tonelada na bigas ang kakailanganin sa loob ng isang taon at dapat na sa mababang halaga ito mabibili ng taong bayan.

Sumasabay din ang klima ng panahon na pabago-bago at madalas nakakadanas ng mga iba’t-ibang kalamidad. Nariyan na tumataas ang level ng tubig dagat, sa lupa, mainit na panahon, pagbaha at malalakas na ulan na siyang nagpapahirap sa ating mga magsasaka sa buong mundo.

Kaya dito nagsisimula na maglalaho ang sustansiya ng lupa, na siya ring dahilan sa paghina ng ani ng mga magsasaka sa mundo. Hindi na kataka-taka na umabot ng isa lang sa anim o mahigit na sa isang bilyon na tao ang nabubuhay sa kahirapan na halos hindi nakakatikim ng bigas bawat araw.

Samantala, patuloy rin na lumaki ang bilang ng malnutrisyon sa buong mundo, dahil sa epekto ng mababang produksiyon ng bigas, na hindi abot kaya ng mga mahihirap nating mga kababayan. kung kaya ganoon na lamang ang pagsisikap ng ating mga makabagong Scientists sa buong mundo.

Para sa kinabukasan, magpapatuloy ang pag-aaral upang matugunan ang suplay ng bigas sa buong mundo. Maingatan ito, maunawaan, maibahagi na gamit sa hinaharap itong Rice Genetic Diversity.

Ang sama-samang puwersa ng IRRI’s ay umabot na sa isang libo tatlong daan at limampu (1,310). Samanta umabot naman sa isang libo at isang daan(1,100) na ang mga headquarters sa Pilipinas, isang daan dalawampu(120) naman sa Bansang Bangladesh, limampu (50) sa India at sa iba pang lokasyon sa Asya at Aprika.

Kaya nag-iimbita pa ang IRRI ng mga bagong Scientist ng Bigas, para mabigyan ng tamang pagsasanay, upang mabawasan o maiwasan na ang malnutrisyon sa buong mundo. (Narisa P. Gonzales)


Writing Winning Scientific Proposals Training held for IRRI Post-Doctoral Fellow


Wednesday, 7 October 2015



29 Post-Doctoral Fellows attended the training on Writing Winning Scientific Proposals at the IRRI-HQ on 30 September 2015.

To give participants insights to the culture of competing for grants and awards, the processes of assessment, and the elements of successful and unsuccessful proposals were the aims of this workshop.

A one and a half-day, one-on-one writing​ coaching session with Dr. Camilla Myers of CSIRO Publishing,​ and​ Dr. Grant Singleton, Principal Scientist at IRRI capped the training activity. ​.

Training participants were: Sung Ryul Kim (PBGB), Anca Macovei (PBGB), Krishna Devkota (CESD), Toshishangba Chuba (PBGB), Nitika Sandhu (PBGB), Alexander Stuart (CESD), Govinda Rizal (C4), Nyo Me Htwe (CESD), Pieter Rutsaet (SSD), Bryce Blackman (TC), Shanta Karki (C4), Ambica Paliwal (SSD), Suchit Shrestha (CESD), Jolly Chaterjee (C4), Jae-Sung Lee (TTCGRC), Johnvie Goloran (CESD), Jessica Rey (PBGB), Ramkumar Gandhimani (PBGB), Prasad Senadheera (PBGB), Vivek Thakur (C4), Hsiang-Chun Lin (C4), Akshaya Kumar Biswal (C4), Ando Radanielson (CESD), Dmytro Chebotarov (TTCGRC), Hedia Tnani (PBGB), Robert Coe (C4), Maria Stephanie Dwiyanti (PBGB), Hung Van Nguyen (CESD), Millicent Sanciangco (TTCGRC).

For future Learning & Development programs, please contact irrihrs-opds@irri.org or call ext 2824. HRS Workplace Communications Article No. 2015-046


SOURCE

Publishing with Impact Course successfully held at IRRI-HQ.

Wednesday, 7 October 2015



On 28-29 September 2015, 24 Post-Doctoral Fellows attended the Publishing with Impact Course held at the IRRI-HQ.


This workshop aims to provide participants with skills and confidence to write scientific papers for successful publication in leading scientific journals.


Dr. Camilla Myers of CSIRO Publishing facilitated the course in cooperation with Dr. Grant Singleton, Principal Scientist at IRRI​.


Workshop attendees include: Alexander Stuart (CESD), Govinda Rizal (C4), Nyo Me Htwe (CESD), Pieter Rutsaet (SSD), Bryce Blackman (TC), Shanta Karki (C4), Ambica Paliwal (SSD), Suchit Shrestha (CESD), Jolly Chaterjee (C4), Jae-Sung Lee (TTCGRC), Johnvie Goloran (CESD), Jessica Rey (PBGB), Ramkumar Gandhimani (PBGB), Prasad Senadheera (PBGB), Vivek Thakur (C4), Hsiang-Chun Lin (C4), Akshaya Kumar Biswal (C4), Ando Radanielson (CESD), Dmytro Chebotarov (TTCGRC), Hedia Tnani (PBGB), Robert Coe (C4), Maria Stephanie Dwiyanti (PBGB), Hung Van Nguyen (CESD), Millicent Sanciangco (TTCGRC).

For future Learning & Development programs, please contact irrihrs-opds@irri.org or call ext 2824. HRS Workplace Communications Article No. 2015-045

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Top 10 IRRI Contributions to the World


The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), a dedicated international institute for rice research and training, was established in 1960 with the support of the Ford FoundationRockefeller Foundation and the Government of the Philippines.  Its headquarters is located in Los Baños, Laguna in the Philippines and offices are in at least sixteen countries. For over half a century, IRRI has been in fore-front of research, news, breakthroughs and in receiving awards.  Here I like to create a discussion to find out top 10 things that we remember, when we mention the term IRRI. I compiled 10 contributions that I feel put IRRI at the helm. I want to initiate a discussion to find other major contributions of IRRI. Feel free to share your opinion.

1. Yoshida Solution
In an in vivo hydroponics rice seedling culture system, rice seedling either germinated directly on the solution or obtained from tissue culture are grown in the solution for considerable time. The solution must have nutrients in right amount. In 1976, S Yoshida and his research team published the ingredients and recipes for preparation of culture solution. Today, this recipe is widely known and used as Yoshida solution.

Ref: Yoshida S, Forno D.A., Cock J.H. & Gomez K.A. (1976). Laboratory Manual for Physiological Studies of Rice. IRRI, Manila. Philippines

2.  IR8
A year after the establishment of IRRI in 1962, Dr. Peter Jennings made 38 crosses of various varieties at IRRI. The eighth cross was between a dwarf variety known as Dee-geo-woo-gen (DGWG) and Peta, a tall variety. After cultivation for several generations uniform plants with high yield were selected, multiplied and distributed to farmers across the rice growing world that led to increase the rice yield that contributed to green revolution. The plants were about 120 cm tall, had strong culms, matured in 130 days- about a month earlier than the traditional varieties. Traditional varieties were averaging around one ton of rice per hectare of land (a hectare is 2.5 acres). Dr S. K. De Datta, published the result that said - the IR8 rice produced around 5 tons per hectare with no fertilizer and rose to almost 10 tons with 120 kg of nitrogen per hectare. That was 10 times the traditional rice yield. Later other lines with prefix IR , such as IR 64, IR 72, etc were released. In 2013, IRRI celebrated 100,000th cross.

Ref: http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/crops_17.html

3. Rice genebank
IRRI maintains the International Rice Genebank that holds with more than 127,000 rice accessions and wild relatives. Samples of rice found in different countries in the world are in IRRI for safe keeping, and for sharing the common public good. As the rice is gradually replaced from farmers’ field and from their natural habitat, IRRI maintains them. The seeds are stored in low temperature in specially designed gene bank where the seeds are kept viable for many decades. IRRI gives free samples of different types of rice seed to any prospective user (farmers, scientists, researchers, governments or other stakeholders) on request, according to the conditions of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.  A copy of all the collection have been deposited in Svalbard Global seed Voult ( Norway). This reserve bank of seeds is an attempt to preserve seeds in future.
Ref:  http://irri.org/our-work/research/genetic-diversity/international-rice-genebank

4. Whole genome (re)sequencing of rice
Though modestly referred in most publications, the then Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit of International Rice Research Institute played a significant role in the whole genome sequencing. In 2002 the first rice genome sequencing was completed and it was published in 2005. Since then the genomics research in rice has increased dramatically.  At present, IRRI has completed whole genome sequencing of 3000 accessions of rice and is sequencing more accessions.
http://www.gigasciencejournal.com/content/3/1/7


6. Stress (Submergence, drought and salt) tolerant rice
IRRI has developed rices for drought, flood, submergence and salinity prone areas.  They have been released in Asia and Africa. Rice with SUB1 gene derived from an indica rice has been bred into local and high yielding varieties to develop rice which overcome submergence stresses. The SUB1A gene begins to work when the plants suffocates under water by making the metabolic activities in the plant dormant, conserving the vitality until the water level recedes.  The gene then works to induce tillering once the plant is above the water level. Rice with drought tolerant traits, salinity tolerant traits have been developed and released. They were welcomed by the farmers from the affected areas. 

7. Long-term continuous cropping experiment (LTCCE)
Unless challenged with examples of other longer experiments, this remains the longest experiment to study the effect of continuous intensive cropping in field without addition of fertilizer or crop residues. It was started in 1952 and more than 150 crops have been harvested from these plots. Even now the soil has remained fertile to yield 2 to 3 tons per hactre per crop.
Details are HERE

8. Central Luzon loop survey
​​​The Central Luzon Loop Survey was started by IRRI scientists in 1966 prior to the Green Revolution. It is believed to be the longest continuous survey in rice farming and of rice farm families. The survey is taken for every 4-5 years. The sample farms are selected from the six municipalities in Laguna province - namely: Bay, Binan, Cabuyao, Calamba, Calauan,and Sta. Rosa. The survey tracks the changes in the farmer adopted rice technology, cultural practices, land tenure, mechanization, and labor practices 
Details: HERE

Readers,

I am sure you don’t agree with some of the achievements above. So I leave the next two highlights to you to propose. Please provide support your claims.

9.

10.

Photo credits: IRRI Flickr
References: as cited or linked above.