Recipient Organization
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
800 BUCHANAN ST, RM 2020
BERKELEY,CA 94710-1105
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
Research will be conducted on the identification of rice plants with novel grain quality and productivity traits by screening populations of rice mutants, determining the molecular genetic basis for any novel traits identified in those populations, and developing DNA markers for the transfer of those traits to elite rice cultivars. Specific objectives include: 1) employing forward genetic screens to identify novel phenotypes affecting rice grain quality; 2) conducting reverse genetic screens to identify mutations in genes involved in traits relating to grain quality and productivity.
Project Methods
Advanced generation mutant lines (= M3 generation) will be screened for traits that may result in reduced arsenic in the whole plant or grain. Emphasis will be placed on screening for altered uptake of Germanium which toxic to rice plants. Germanium is indistinguishable from Silicon, which normally accumulates in rice plants to high levels. Arsenic is transported into and within rice plants using the same pathways as Silicon so plants with altered Silicon transport may affect Arsenic content in rice. A reverse genetics approach will also be employed to identify mutations in genes involving Silicon transport and genes which encode known targets of herbicides. DNA primers for these genes will be designed and used to screen DNA libraries derived from a population of rice mutants. Individuals with altered DNA sequences in the target genes will be identified and the presence of these mutations will be confirmed. DNA markers based on these mutations will be developed for any useful mutants identified by the forward and reverse genetic screening strategies.