Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice

Rice, the number one staple food crop of Nepal, contributes nearly 20% to the agricultural gross domestic product, almost 7% to gross domestic product, and supplies with 40% of the food calorie consumption of Nepalese people. Despite of increasing production, the national demand of rice cannot be fu...

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Main Authors: Bigyan K. C., Rishav Pandit, Bishnu Prasad Kandel, Kanchan Kumar K. C., Arpana K. C., Mukti Ram Poudel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:International Journal of Agronomy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5520741
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author Bigyan K. C.
Rishav Pandit
Bishnu Prasad Kandel
Kanchan Kumar K. C.
Arpana K. C.
Mukti Ram Poudel
author_facet Bigyan K. C.
Rishav Pandit
Bishnu Prasad Kandel
Kanchan Kumar K. C.
Arpana K. C.
Mukti Ram Poudel
author_sort Bigyan K. C.
collection DOAJ
description Rice, the number one staple food crop of Nepal, contributes nearly 20% to the agricultural gross domestic product, almost 7% to gross domestic product, and supplies with 40% of the food calorie consumption of Nepalese people. Despite of increasing production, the national demand of rice cannot be fulfilled, and billions of rupees are spent yearly for importing rice from India. This article reviews history, recent scenario, prospects, and importance of rice breeding research in Nepal for self-sufficiency. Though plant breeding inception point in Nepal was 1951, the systematic research in rice was started from 1972 after the establishment of the National Rice Research Program. Introduction and evaluation of high yielding exotic germplasm of rice was the initial rice breeding activities. After analysing several foreign materials, CH-45 variety of rice was first recommended in 1959. Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), the leading organisation for rice varietal improvement to date, has been doing rice research activities such as germplasm conservation, exchange, varietal development, verification of technologies, and knowledge updates in collaboration with various organizations. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), since 1966, has been playing an important role in Nepal’s rice research. Major plant breeding achievements are introduction of exotic materials and their evaluation, local landraces identification, collection and analysis, crossing of local landraces with exotic genetic materials, heterosis breeding, tissue culture technology, genetic marker technology, and National Genebank. RAPD and SSR, DNA-based markers, are mostly used for diversity appraisal and selecting desirable genotypes. Integration of advanced tools such as genetic engineering, bioinformatics, protoplast fusion, and SNP markers could not be still applied in rice research and development. Hence, emphasis should be given to improve the capacity and abilities of the rice scientists and should release more short duration, drought, and submergence-tolerant rice varieties by optimum utilisation of local landraces combining modern and conventional breeding.
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spelling doaj-art-d6064cab6a9743cda7c768b266edfb852025-08-20T02:19:38ZengWileyInternational Journal of Agronomy1687-81591687-81672021-01-01202110.1155/2021/55207415520741Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in RiceBigyan K. C.0Rishav Pandit1Bishnu Prasad Kandel2Kanchan Kumar K. C.3Arpana K. C.4Mukti Ram Poudel5Department of Plant Breeding, PG Program, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, NepalDepartment of Plant Breeding, PG Program, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, NepalPurwanchal Agriculture Campus (PAC), Gauradaha, Jhapa, NepalDepartment of ICT and Extended Learning, NIST Foundation, Lainchaur, Kathmandu, NepalDepartment of Environmental Science, PG Program, Goldengate International College, Tribhuvan University, Battisputali, Kathmandu, NepalInstitute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa Campus, Siddharthanagar-1, Rupandehi, NepalRice, the number one staple food crop of Nepal, contributes nearly 20% to the agricultural gross domestic product, almost 7% to gross domestic product, and supplies with 40% of the food calorie consumption of Nepalese people. Despite of increasing production, the national demand of rice cannot be fulfilled, and billions of rupees are spent yearly for importing rice from India. This article reviews history, recent scenario, prospects, and importance of rice breeding research in Nepal for self-sufficiency. Though plant breeding inception point in Nepal was 1951, the systematic research in rice was started from 1972 after the establishment of the National Rice Research Program. Introduction and evaluation of high yielding exotic germplasm of rice was the initial rice breeding activities. After analysing several foreign materials, CH-45 variety of rice was first recommended in 1959. Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), the leading organisation for rice varietal improvement to date, has been doing rice research activities such as germplasm conservation, exchange, varietal development, verification of technologies, and knowledge updates in collaboration with various organizations. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), since 1966, has been playing an important role in Nepal’s rice research. Major plant breeding achievements are introduction of exotic materials and their evaluation, local landraces identification, collection and analysis, crossing of local landraces with exotic genetic materials, heterosis breeding, tissue culture technology, genetic marker technology, and National Genebank. RAPD and SSR, DNA-based markers, are mostly used for diversity appraisal and selecting desirable genotypes. Integration of advanced tools such as genetic engineering, bioinformatics, protoplast fusion, and SNP markers could not be still applied in rice research and development. Hence, emphasis should be given to improve the capacity and abilities of the rice scientists and should release more short duration, drought, and submergence-tolerant rice varieties by optimum utilisation of local landraces combining modern and conventional breeding.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5520741
spellingShingle Bigyan K. C.
Rishav Pandit
Bishnu Prasad Kandel
Kanchan Kumar K. C.
Arpana K. C.
Mukti Ram Poudel
Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
International Journal of Agronomy
title Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
title_full Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
title_fullStr Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
title_full_unstemmed Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
title_short Scenario of Plant Breeding in Nepal and Its Application in Rice
title_sort scenario of plant breeding in nepal and its application in rice
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5520741
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