Chinese scientist recognised for rice production breakthrough
International Year of Rice (IYR) global scientific contest for his
work on genetic diversity and disease control, the UN's FAO
announced this week.
Dr Youyong Zhu, president of Yunnan Agricultural University in China was recognised for his contribution to the advancement of rice research through his study, "Genetic diversity and disease control in rice."
The paper was awarded first prize in the rice agronomy category.
Dr. Zhu's article found that utilising genetic heterogeneity - variability within rice varieties - can effectively reduce the severity of rice blast, a major disease affecting rice crops. The research provides an ecological approach to disease control that can be highly effective when applied over a large area.
The research has an obvious bearing on food producers in the AP-region. For the 3 billion people living in Asia, rice provides one-third or more of the dietary energy requirement.
And for several South and Southeast Asian countries within that region, rice accounts for between two-fifths and four-fifths of the food energy and protein requirements.
A recent FAO document entitled "Strategies to sustain and enhance Asia-Pacific rice production" underlines the importance of rice to the region. The document stresses that rice yields must be steadily improved in order to achieve production targets.
The FAO calculates that rice production must reach, 665 and 765 Mt per year in 2015 and 2030, respectively, and that average rice yield must increase from 3.5 to 4.6 t/ha in the period from 1996 to 2030. Tackling rice blast could go some way to achieving these targets.
Dr Zhu was chosen after over 800 rice scientists and researchers worldwide were nominated through a survey conducted by the FAO and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI>.
Dr Takuji Sasaki, a director of the Genome Research Department at the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS) in Japan, was also recognised. The article by Dr. Takuji Sasaki and his team, "The genome sequence and structure of rice chromosome 1", was awarded first prize in the rice breeding category.
"Both papers clearly deserve their respective awards not only for the scientific excellence but also because of their potential impact and importance to the international rice industry," said IRRI director general Ronald P. Cantrell.
"The fact that these awards were given based on the judgement of their peers is also something Drs Sasaki and Zhu can be justifiably very proud of."
Dr. Sasaki's paper reported successful identification of the essentially complete sequence of chromosome 1, the longest chromosome in the rice genome. This breakthrough will assist breeders determine gene function, and thereby make it possible to more efficiently identify and select rice varieties with beneficial traits.
"The successful mapping of the rice genome will assist plant breeders in their efforts to develop rice varieties with increased yield potential, resistance to stress, and improved nutrient content," said Louise Fresco, FAO assistant director-general of the agriculture department.
"Furthermore, a better understanding of genetic diversity and heterogeneity in rice is very relevant to sustainable production."
Drs. Zhu and Sasaki will be recognised at a special ceremony on the occasion of World Food Day 14 October 2004 in Rome. They will be presented with medals on behalf of their research and writing teams.
The article published by Dr. Youyong Zhu et al (Genetic diversity and disease control in rice) can be found in Nature, Volume 406 (August 2000): 718 - 722.
Dr. Takuji Sasaki et al have published their article in Nature Volume 420 (November 2002): 312-320.
