Texas Rice Special Section

Transcription

1 Texs Rice Specil Section Highlighting Reserch in 2010 Breeding Exploiting Generted Germplsm in the Development of High Yielding Conventionl Rice Vrieties for Texs The Texs stte rice breeding progrm continues to produce new nd vluble breeding mteril for genetics studies nd relese of new vrieties, nd enhnce the development of future crops. It hs gretly incresed genetic stock to include diverse collection of ccessions, mutnts, nd elite lines. In 2009, the breeding progrm hd nurseries s well s replicted yield trils. The pedigree nursery composed of erly genertion mteril tht is more dvnced thn the F2 popultions, consisted of 3,653 rows. Phenotypic selections identified 1,024 rows for dvncement. In the observtionl nursery with 2,647 entries, preliminry selection identified 448 lines for further evlution nd 136 lines s possible yield tril cndidtes in The preliminry yield tril (PYT) contined 40 elite lines including checks. Among the entries with min crop grin yields rnging from 4,138 to 8,092 lb/cre, three lines yielded higher thn the best check vriety. The stte preliminry yield tril (SPYT) with 17 elite lines ws conducted in Egle Lke nd Beumont. Min crop grin yields rnged from 5,719 to 8,607 lb/cre in Beumont nd from 8,278-9,966 lb/cre in Egle Lke. Min crop grin yield nlysis cross loctions identified four elite lines s possible cndidtes for further yield evlution. In the Uniform Regionl Rice Nursery (URRN) hving elite lines from TX, s well s from AK, LA, MS nd MO, our progrm hd 13 promising lines. Yield trils of these TX lines were lso conducted in Egle Lke. Grin yield in Beumont rnged from 5,028 to 10,752 lb/cre with the Fig. 1. Performnce of 13 elite rice lines compred to Cocodrie nd Wells in the 2009 URRN t Beumont. highest yielding TX entry t 9,747 lb/cre. Figure 1 shows the performnce of 13 TX elite lines in Beumont compred to two checks. Egle Lke s verge yields rnged from 5,335 to 11,362 lb/cre. Across 2 loctions, RU (Fig. 2) yielded better thn the best performing check. The TX breeding progrm nominted 38 elite lines to the 2010 URRN yield tril. Texs Rice Specil Section - I Fig. 2. Pnicle of TX elite rice line RU

2 Breeding continued... Reserch conducted by Rodnte E. Tbien nd Chersty L. Hrper. Generous funding for the plnt breeding project ws provided by the Texs AgriLife Reserch nd Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. For more informtion, contct Dr. Tbien t ext 2230/2248 or retbien@g.tmu.edu. Degree of Tolernce of Selected Genotypes to the Appliction of Liberty (Glufosinte) Herbicide Weeds re perennil problems in rice fields in Texs nd throughout the U.S., reducing grin yields from 12 to 34%. Herbicide resistnt rice vrieties fit well within rice weed mngement progrms becuse they re esy to implement, effective, reduce tillge costs, nd reduce restrictions on crop rottion. At the Texs A&M AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont, rice germplsm exhibiting herbicide tolernce in previous yers were seed incresed in 2009 by plnting, then screening the plots tht were spryed with Liberty t the recommended rte of 28 oz/cre. The first herbicide sprying ws done 19 dys fter emergence, with second sprying done two weeks lter. A concurrent yield test evluted 15 previous herbicide spry survivors tht hd produced sufficient mount of seed nd six checks plnted in two replictions of 6 rows by 19 ft plots. Unspryed plots were used s the control in evluting yield reduction due to herbicide ppliction. The field screening test of 332 entries cross 700 rows resulted in 21 lines tht showed good herbicide tolernce nd 91 lines with moderte tolernce. Figure 1 shows the screening results of plnts spryed twice with the liberty herbicide to identify new herbicide resistnce donors. Considering the men cross genotypes, herbicide sprying delyed heding nd Fig. 1. Response of selected genotypes to Liberty herbicide ppliction 14 dys fter first ppliction nd 10 dys fter second ppliction. Fig. 2. Yield performnce of selected genotypes nd check vrieties in Liberty (glufosinte) spryed nd unspryed plots. mturity by more thn week nd reduced plnt height by 2.8 inches. Grin yield dt showed n verge of 29.2% yield reduction mong checks, while the five best entries hd n verge of 16.2% yield reduction. The best line hd 11.3% yield reduction. Three entries hd sttisticlly similr yield in the spryed nd unspryed plots. Figure 2 shows the yield performnce of some genotypes in spryed nd unspryed plots. Reserch conducted by Rodnte E. Tbien, Ptrick M. Frnk, nd Chersty L. Hrper. This project ws supported by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. For more informtion, contct Dr. Tbien t ext 2230/2248 or retbien@g.tmu.edu. Texs Rice Specil Section - II

3 Breeding continued... Successful hybrid vrieties exhibit significnt positive heterosis or hybrid vigor, with yield dvntge over inbred vrieties rnging from 10 to 20%. While most studies on heterosis hve focused on grin yield nd yield components, which re expressed fter heding, there re importnt yield-relted trits tht re expressed before heding. At the Texs A&M AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont, field nd lbortory experiments were conducted to determine the pre-heding heterotic reltionships between rice hybrids nd their prents, nd to estimte the correltion between the heterosis of stem TNC content nd the heterosis of other pre-heding yield-relted trits. The first field experiment tht evluted Heterosis in Pre-Heding Yield-Relted Rice Trits Tble 1. Mid-prent heterosis of hybrids nd their correltion with stem TNC content heterosis t boot stge in 2008 t Beumont. hybrids produced t the Center ws conducted in 2008 nd included 8 hybrids, 8 mintiner lines of the cytoplsmic mle sterile (CMS) prents, nd the mle prent line. In 2009 nd 2010, the field experiments included 8 hybrids, 4 mintiner lines of the 4 CMS prents, nd the 2 mle prent lines. Mid-prent heterosis (MPH = [(F1 midprent)/midprent] x 100, where midprent is the verge of the prents of hybrid) ws used to estimte the performnce of the hybrids reltive to their prents. Results from the 2008 experiment showed tht there were significnt differences between hybrids nd midprents for the following trits: lef N content (MPH = 58%), stem mss (MPH = 52%), lef mss (MPH = 45%), lef re index (MPH = 43%), plnt mss (MPH = 42%), light interception (MPH = 3%), nd stem TNC concentrtion (MPH = -23%) (Tble 1). Stem TNC content ws not significntly different between hybrids nd mid-prents, but there ws wide difference between hybrid nd mid-prent stem TNC content vlues, rnging from -229 to 368 g/m 2, which is equivlent to n MPH rnge of -63 to 143% nd men MPH or 18%. This suggested the possibility of selecting for hybrids tht exhibit positive MPH for stem TNC content. Heterosis in stem TNC content ws found to be positively correlted to heterosis in lef N content (r = 0.43), stem mss (r = 0.62), lef mss (r = 0.38), lef re index (r = 0.58), nd plnt mss (r = 0.61) (Tble 1), indicting tht increses in heterosis in one or combintion of these trits would result to n increse in stem TNC heterosis. This study implies tht t preheding, the hybrids hd non-significnt dvntge over the inbreds in terms of the TNC ccumulted in the stems tht cn be trnslocted to the grin fter heding, nd it lso showed importnt trit correltions tht could be used to further increse stem TNC content MPH. Reserch conducted by S. Omr PB. Smonte, Lloyd T. Wilson, nd Jmes C. Medley. For more informtion, contct Dr. Smonte t sosmonte@esrg.tmu.edu. Vrition in Yield-Relted Trits within Vrieties in Lrge Yield Trils One of the chrcteristics of desirble rice vriety is tht it should be stble in its trit vlues cross different loctions, yers, or environments (loction x yer combintions). The trit vlues should lso be stble within lrge fields or lrge yield trils. Stble vrieties cn be useful s checks tht cn be plnted in ech of the blocks or pddies of lrge field tril, such s the Uniform Rice Regionl Nursery (URRN), which consists of 280 yield plots plnted t 40 plots per block. The objective of this study ws to estimte the vrition in yield- Trit Texs Rice Specil Section - III Men Mid- Prent Heterosis (%) Correltion (r) with Stem TNC Content Stem TNC Content 18 - Lef N Content Stem mss Lef Mss Lef Are Index Plnt Mss Light Interception Stem TNC Concentrtion * Significnt difference (5%) between hybrids nd mid-prents * Significnt correltion t the 5%level.

4 Breeding continued... relted trits nd grin yield within vriety in lrge yield trils. At the URRN conducted t the Texs A&M AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont in 2009, four rice vrieties (Frncis, Spring, Trensse, nd Wells) were dded to ech of the seven blocks of the URRN nd plnted t two replicted plots per block. Yieldrelted trits nd grin yield were determined from ech of the plots, while soil smples were tken from ech block t pre-plnt nd t heding for soil nlyses. Soil nlyses reveled tht there were no significnt differences mong the blocks in terms of ph, nd concentrtions of N, P, K, C, Mg, S, N, Fe, Zn, Tble 1. Significnce of vrition within vrieties plnted in seven blocks of the URRN t Beumont in Trit Frncis Spring Trensse Wells Tiller Density ns ns ns ns Light Interception ns ns ns ns Chlorophyll Reding ns ns * * Flg Lef Length ns ns Flg Lef Width ns ns ns * Pnicle Density ns ns ns ns Pnicle Length ns ns * No. of Dys to Heding ns ns ** ns Plnt Height ns ns ns ns Grin yield ns ns ns ns ns no significnt differences t the 5% level. *, ** significnt differences t the 5 nd 1% level, respectively. p-vlue is ner the 5% level of significnce. Mn, nd Cu. Vrietl performnce in 10 trits in 2009 showed tht Spring ws the most stble, s there were no significnt differences mong blocks in terms of tiller density, light interception, chlorophyll reding, flg lef length nd width, pnicle density, pnicle length, number of dys to heding, plnt height, nd grin yield (Tble 1). Frncis ws the next most stble, s it differed mong blocks only in flg lef length (p-vlue = 0.053). Trensse significntly different mong blocks in chlorophyll reding nd number of dys to heding, nd its p-vlue for pnicle length ws Wells ws the lest stble mong the four vrieties s it showed differences mong blocks in chlorophyll reding, flg lef width, nd pnicle length, nd its p-vlue for flg lef length ws All vrieties were stble in terms of grin yield mong the seven blocks. Dt on topnd bottom-hlf pnicle weight nd 100-grin weight re currently being estimted. A 2nd field experiment of this study is being conducted this yer. Reserch conducted by Stnley Omr PB. Smonte, Rodnte E. Tbien, Lloyd T. Wilson, nd Chersty L. Hrper. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Smonte t sosmonte@esrg.tmu.edu. Breeding for High-Yielding Wter-Efficient Vrieties Wter is n expensive resource tht is incresingly becoming limited s the urbn sector of our society expnds nd competes with the rice growers. In 2002, the Texs A&M AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont begn n ultr high-yielding min crop rice vrietl selection project, with finncil support from the Lower Colordo River Authority (LCRA) nd Sn Antonio Wter System (SAWS). The project ims to develop commercilly cceptble, ultr-high yielding rice vriety, whose first crop would be economiclly profitble without the second crop, especilly during conditions when sufficient wter supplies my not be vilble. Trits trgeted in developing the new vriety, reltive to conventionl short-seson vrieties, include fster node production rte, higher tiller nd pnicle densities, lrger lef res, hevier plnt biomss, slightly lter mturity, nd higher nitrogen utiliztion efficiency. A summry of results from the evlution of elite LCRA/SAWS lines of the project in severl yield trils (YTs) in 2009 re s follows: Erly-Plnting YT t Beumont: 54 of the 67 elite lines hd higher grin yield thn Cocodrie. The highest yielding line (TXEL0148) produced 10,148 lb/cre grin, which ws 29% higher thn tht of Cocodrie. Texs Rice Specil Section - IV

5 Breeding continued... Regulr-Plnting YT t Beumont: 13 elite lines were not significntly different in grin yield when compred to Cocodrie, which produced the highest yield (8,988 lb/cre). TXEL0336 ws the highest yielding LCRA/SAWS line (8,986 lb/cre). Sttewide YT t Beumont: 7 of the 17 elite lines hd higher grin yields thn Cocodrie. TXEL0234 ws the highest yielding LCRA/SAWS line, with 8,621 lb/cre yield, which ws 6.8% higher thn tht of Cocodrie Sttewide YT t Egle Lke: 2 elite lines produced higher grin yields thn Cocodrie. TXEL0228 ws the highest yielding line, with grin yield of 9,617 lb/cre, which ws 1% higher thn tht of Cocodrie. Preliminry Group of the Uniform Regionl Rice Nursery (URRN) t Beumont: 1 of the 9 elite lines hd higher grin yield thn Cocodrie. TXEL0165 yielded 9,602 lb/cre, which ws 2.6% higher thn tht of Cocodrie. TXEL0165 ws cm tll nd mtured in 114 dys, nd this ws 8.8 cm tller nd 2 dys longer thn tht of Cocodrie. Advnced Group of the URRN t Beumont: 1 of the 4 elite lines yielded higher thn Cocodrie. TXEL0148 yielded 9,702 lb/cre, which ws 3.7% higher thn tht of Cocodrie (Fig. 1). TXEL0148 ws 9.5 cm tller nd mtured 7 dys lter reltive to Cocodrie (90.8 cm nd 112 dys to mturity). Reserch conducted by Stnley Omr PB. Smonte, Lloyd T. Wilson, Rodnte E. Tbien, nd Jmes C. Medley. For more informtion, contct Dr. Wilson (lt-wilson@esrg.tmu.edu) or Dr. Smonte (sosmonte@esrg.tmu.edu). New High Density Genetic Mrker Technology for Use in Breeding Recent dvnces in genetic mrker technology hve enhnced our bility to evlute rice breeding mterils more quickly nd with greter coverge. In 2005, s result of n interntionl collbortion, the jponic rice vriety Nipponbre ws the first crop plnt to be completely sequenced. Subsequently, n indic vriety ws sequenced Fig. 1. Reltive grin yield of TXEL0028 (top), TXEL0038 (middle), TXEL0148 (bottom) to Cocodrie during the vrious yield trils from 2005 to Actul grin yields of ech line re written bove ech column. llowing comprison of the genetic differences between these two representtives of the mjor sub-popultions, which re the bsis for most of the rice grown in the world. In 2008, the Oryz SNP Project, sequenced 20 world rice vrieties, two from the USA (Cypress nd M202). We used these dt to identify 1,536 SNP mrkers (single nucleotide polymorphisms) nd evluted pnel of 400 diverse vrieties (Fig. 1). The objective ws to identify mteril tht ws vstly different t genetic level to guide breeders in the development of vrieties nd hybrids nd to find smller chromosoml regions tht re exmples of specific genes tht hd been bred into vrieties. For exmple, in the tropicl jponic mteril from the USA, cler indic introgression on chromosome 12 ws observed tht ws ssocited with the blst resistnce gene Pi-t (Fig. 2). This type of informtion Texs Rice Specil Section - V

6 Breeding continued... provides breeders with insights into mrker ssisted selection strtegies tht will conserve genomic regions or fcilitte recombintion. In ddition, the 1,536 SNP chip ws used in collbortion with the RiceCAP project to evlute bout 400 elite vrieties from ll of the US rice breeding progrms. This nlysis demonstrted how US breeding progrms hve reltively unique genepools, lthough there re vrieties tht re clerly synthesis of multiple breeding progrms. Such detiled genomic informtion will be useful to breeders to help identify the best vrieties to cross to mximize genetic recombintion. Although the 1,536 SNP chip provided greter mrker sturtion thn previously vilble, it lso demonstrted tht there re lrge linkge blocks within US vrieties tht pper to hve no genetic diversity. We re now developing genetic tools tht will provide tens of thousnds of SNP mrkers on ny vriety, in n effort to better mp these regions. As the result of reserch collbortions tht spn the globe nd bring reserchers from breeding, genomics, nd bioinformtics together, the US rice reserch community hs been ble to prticipte in the development of cutting-edge genomic technologies. The next steps will require the bility to effectively nlyze mssive dtsets of genomic informtion so tht these technologies cn be trnslted into prcticl breeding tools. Reserch conducted by A.M. McClung, K. Zho, G.C. Eizeng, M.L. Ali, C.D. Bustmnte, nd S.R. McCouch. For more informtion, contct Dr. McClung t ext 275 or nn.mcclung@rs.usd. gov. Fig. 1. High density genetic mrkers revel the genetic similrity mong 400 world rice vrieties. Fig. 2. Exmple of Pi-t blst resistnce gene on chromosome 12 originting from Asin germplsm tht hs been bred into US vrieties. New Method Opens Opportunity to Proctively Select For Fissure Resistnce in Erly Breeding Genertions WANTED: New rice vrieties improved for resistnce to kernel fissuring Rice kernel fissuring is one of the leding cuses of reduced milling yield. Any reduction in fissuring cn result in direct increses in yield nd profit for both producers nd millers. While most U.S. rice vrieties yield round 55% hed rice, Cypress, Sber nd Cybonnet typiclly yield 60 to 65% hed rice, which is 5 to 10% better. For producer yielding 7,000 lb/cre pddy, even smll (5%) improvement in milling yield cn increse profits by $18/cre bsed on Spring 2010 prices for whole nd broken long grin rice. PROBLEM: Breeders cnnot select for trit unless they cn see or detect it. The most relible method breeders hve hd for evluting fissure resistnce involves hrvesting sequentilly Texs Rice Specil Section - VI

7 Breeding continued... drier rice smples from single lrge reserch plot, milling the smples, nd evluting milling qulity over hrvest time. All rice fissures occur when they re exposed to rewetting rins or dew fter they mture nd dry down, but fissure resistnt rice fissures less redily, nd thus suffer slower loss in milling qulity thn stndrd rice over sequentilly lter hrvests. While the nlysis of sequentilly drier hrvests hs proven cpble of detecting smll (2%) differences in fissure resistnce, it requires lrge mounts of seed, field spce, nd lbor. As such, it cnnot be conducted until lte in the breeding process, fter much breeding effort hs been expended to reduce the number of lines under considertion for vriety relese to less thn 100. While this llows breeders to rectively select ginst fissure-susceptibility before ctul Fig. 1. Fissures cn be visully detected nd counted in brown (unmilled) rice fter exposure to controlled fissure-inducing humidity. Prehrvest fissuring is mjor fctors contributing to low milling qulity in rice. (Photo by Frmen Jodri) vriety relese, proctive selection for desired trit resulting in rpid breeding gins requires selection in erly breeding genertions, such s the F 2 genertion. SOLUTION: A lbortory method wherein smll smples of seed (50 to 100 kernels) re evluted for inlb fissure rtes fter controlled exposure to humid conditions ws previously shown by scientists in TX, LA, nd CA to relibly identify fissure resistnce mong lte-genertion pure-breeding mteril. We extended the utility of this lb method by documenting tht it ws successful t identifying fissure resistnt progeny mong 300 Cypress x LGrue F2 plnts. Reserch detils: Unfissured, mture seed ws hrvested from 300 Cypress x Lgrue F 2 plnts in 2006 nd evluted for in-lb fissure response. The 30 most resistnt (FisR), nd the 30 most susceptible (FisS) F 2 plnts were selected, nd their F 3 progeny seed were grown nd evluted for fissure resistnce in The FisS F 2:3 progeny fissured twice s much s the FisR progeny, providing first indiction tht the in-lb selection method ws successful t identifying FisR F 2 progeny. A second round of selection ws conducted, identifying the most FisR nd FisS F 3 plnts, nd their progeny were gin evluted for fissure response in 2008 nd gin in The FisR selections proved to be equl to, but not more resistnt thn Cypress, nd the most FisS selections ppered equl to LGrue in lck of fissure resistnce. This study documented, for the first time ever, successful erly-genertion selection for FisR, opening new opportunity for breeders to develop rice vrieties improved for this importnt gronomic trit. Reserch conducted by Shnnon Pinson, Jmes Gibbons, nd Yulin Ji. This study is funded in prt by the Rice Foundtion. For more informtion, contct Dr. Shnnon Pinson t shnnon.pinson@rs.usd.gov. Found: Rice tht Produces Grins with Improved Nutritionl Vlue Rice provides the mjor source of nutrition for lrge proportion of the world s popultion, nd is key ingredient in bby foods in the U.S. Minerl nutrients such s C, Fe, nd Zn ply criticl roles in humn helth, with over 3 billion people suffering from Fe nd Zn deficiencies. Unfortuntely for those who rely on rice for subsistence, the rice grin is not concentrted source of these nutrients, nd if grown on contminted soils, cn contin toxic elements such s As nd Cd. Drs. Pinson nd Trpley recently identified rice lines exhibiting significnt improvements in the content of 16 elements, nmely Mg, P, K, S, C, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, nd Cd, nd re now investigting the genes nd physiology underlying their improved nutritionl vlue. Reserch Methods nd Results: A core subset of 1,700 ccessions from mong the 17,000+ rice ccessions in the USDA Ntionl Smll Grins Collection (repository of seed collected from wild nd cultivted rice lines found round the world) ws selected to represent the wide genetic diversity of the lrger set. Since the mount of oxygen in the soil gretly ffects the vilbility of soil nutrients, we evluted the 1,700 foreign rice ccessions under both flooded nd nonflooded conditions in 2007 nd 2008 t the Beumont rice reserch Texs Rice Specil Section - VII

8 Breeding continued... center (Fig. 1). Seed ws hrvested, dried, threshed, nd hulled, then sent to collbortor t Purdue University who nlyzed them for Mg, P, K, S, C, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, nd Cd content. Our field experiments showed tht the impct of environmentl vrince within ech pddy ws smll compred with genetic impct on grin element content. Lrge (> 5x) rnges in content for ech of the 16 grin elements, with the nonflooded rice tretment showing more extreme differences in grin nutritionl vlue thn the flooded tretment. Rice ccessions high for prticulr element were sometimes found to hve similr geogrphic origins. For exmple, four of the five lines highest in Mo content originted from Mlysi, which is exciting in tht it verifies tht we hve found lines with key genes tht llow them to ccumulte high levels of Mo in their grin. The fct tht these Mlysin lines were collected on three different trips spnning two decdes suggest tht the Mogenes re pssed from one genertion to the next, nd pper to be beneficil to rice yields nd helth, otherwise they would not hve been mintined over decdes of breeding. Future Reserch: Studies to identify the genes nd the physiologicl ttributes underlying the improved grin minerl contents re underwy. We will be determining if incresed minerl content is due to incresed root uptke, incresed trnsport through the plnt, or combintion of both. Sptil loction of the ccumulted minerls within the rice kernel is lso under investigtion. It will be esier to impct humn diets if the minerls ccumulte in the endosperm rther thn in the embryo or brn lyer, which re not ingested unless one is ets brown rice. Reserch conducted by Shnnon Pinson, Lee Trpley, Rtnprbh, Dvid Slt, nd Mry Lou Guerinot. This study is funded by the Ntionl Science Foundtion (NSF). For more informtion, contct Dr. Pinson t shnnon.pinson@rs.usd.gov. Het-Stbility of Helth-Beneficil Phytonutrients/Antioxidnts in Rice The consumption of whole grin hs been linked to the reduced incidence of chronic (cncer, dibetes, crdiovsculr disese) nd vrious inflmmtory diseses. The phytonutrients/ntioxidnts contined in the whole grin, specificlly in the brn lyer, contribute to these helth benefits. Rice brn is rich source of lipophilic ntioxidnts, including vitmin Es nd γ-oryznols. In ddition, the phenols extrcted from light brown colored rice hve potentil chemopreventive effect. Recent interest hs lso been focused on pigmented rice, especilly on the purple nd red colored brn rice vrieties becuse of their bundnce in nthocynins nd tnnins, respectively. The objective of this study ws to investigte the effect of stem-cooking nd prboiling on the concentrtions of ntioxidnts (vitmin Es, γ-oryznols nd flvonoids) nd ntioxidnt cpcities of pigmented (i.e., red nd purple) nd common light brown brn rice. The cooking processes included whole-grin stem-cooked (S), pddy (with hull) prboiled (PP), nd prboiled pddy stem-cooked (PP-S). Uncooked whole-grin (Rw) served s control. The concentrtions of totl vitmin Es (sum of tocopherols nd tocotrienols) nd γ-oryznols vried mong three vrieties. In reltion to Rw, the uncooked control, these lipophilic ntioxidnts were firly het-stble cross ll the cooking methods or the combintion of cooking methods (Fig. 1 nd 1b). For the totl flvonoid concentrtion, the Rw light brown brn rice contined less thn one-sixth tht of red nd purple brn rice, but the flvonoids in the light brown brn rice were het-stble (Fig. 2). The flvonoids in the red brn rice were very hetsensitive: S reduced the flvonoid concentrtion to 45% of Rw; nd PP-S reduced it to 21% of Rw. Nevertheless, Texs Rice Specil Section - VIII Fig. 1. Reserch plots consisted of 5 seed spred over pprox. 4-inches of spce. By using such smll plots, we were ble to fit 1,700 genetic lines into single pddy, minimizing vrince for soil type within the study.

9 Breeding continued... PP-S-red brn rice still contined 1.8 times more flvonoids thn PP-S light brown brn rice. Reltive to red brn rice, purple brn rice contined high c o n c e n t r t i o n of het-stble flvonoids. The concentrtions of totl flvonoids of S- nd PP-purple rice were retined t 97% nd 92% of Rw, respectively, w h i l e P P - S - purple rice ws retined t 65%. The PP-S-purple rice contined 5 - f o l d h i g h e r totl flvonoid c o n c e n t r t i o n thn light brown r i c e. S i m i l r ptterns s seen for totl flvonoid c o n c e n t r t i o n were observed for the ntioxidnt Fig. 1. The effects of cooking on the concentrtions of lipophilic ntioxidnts of rice. The concentrtions of 1) totl vitmin Es (sum of tocopherols nd tocotrienols), nd 1b) γ-oryznols in uncooked control (Rw), stem-cooked (S), prboiled pddy (PP), nd, prboiled pddy stem-cooked (PP-S) rice of light-brown brn (LB), red brn (Red) nd purple brn (Purple) rice re presented. Fig. 2. The effects of cooking on the concentrtions of totl flvonoids nd ntioxidnt cpcity of rice. The concentrtions of 2) totl flvonoids, nd 2b) ntioxidnt cpcity in uncooked control (Rw), stem-cooked (S), prboiled pddy (PP), nd, prboiled pddy stem-cooked (PP-S) rice of light-brown brn (LB), red brn (Red) nd purple brn (Purple) rice re presented. cpcities of these smples (Fig. 2b). The results clerly demonstrted tht different types of flvonoids nd ntioxidnts were present mong vrieties of rice hving different brn color. Rice vrieties with high concentrtion of het-stble ntioxidnts would hve gret potentil for use in snck brs nd cerels, in ddition to being consumed s stem-cooked tble rice. Reserch conducted by Ming-Hsun Chen, Byungrok Min, nd Ann McClung. For more informtion, contct Dr. Chen t ming. chen@rs.usd.gov. Responses of High Biomss Rice to Drought Conditions Biomss in rice is n importnt trit in incresing grin yield. In generl, the higher the biomss, the higher the grin yield. The yield dvntge of hybrid rice is generlly ttributed to its higher biomss production reltive to inbred rice. Rice cn produce lot of biomss, which is uncommon knowledge, with the rice strw fter hrvest nd the rice hulls fter milling being potentil feedstocks for bioenergy production. However, the genetics of high biomss production in rice is unknown, nd rice germplsm with very high biomss is limited. High biomss rice will be n importnt genetic resource to study biomss production nd meet the growing demnds Texs Rice Specil Section - IX

10 Breeding continued... in both grin nd biomss for food, fodder, nd bio-fuel industries. Since high biomss rice lines re not being retined in rice breeding progrm, limited studies hve been conducted to determine the response of high biomss rice in unfvorble conditions such s drought prone, rinfed, nd sline res. The min objectives of this study were to determine the response of selected high biomss rice to drought nd to identify the best genotype tht cn be grown in unfvorble res for biomss production. A pot experiment orgnized in completely rndomized design with three replictions ws conducted in the greenhouse in Nine high biomss genotypes nd one conventionl rice vriety (Bnks) were grown strting from 20 Fig. 1. Totl fresh nd dry biomss of 10 selected genotypes t 50% field cpcity. Abbrevition: TFB- Totl fresh biomss, TDB- Totl dry biomss dys fter emergence in ech of three soil moisture tretments reltive to field cpcity (FC): 100, 75, nd 50%. The wter level ws mintined by weighing the pots every lternte dy nd dding the mount of evported wter bsed on reference pot. Weekly tiller nd lef count, nd plnt height were gthered for six weeks, nd the number of dys to first tiller, root nd shoot weight, dry mter percentge, nd root-shoot rtio were determined. Results showed tht most of the genotypes performed better in 100% FC, but some were less ffected by drought. Significnt differences mong genotypes were observed for number of dys to first tillers, number of tillers, plnt height, shoot nd root weight, dry root:shoot (R:S) rtio, totl biomss nd dry mtter percentge. Drought delyed first tillers emergence, reduced number of tillers, plnt height, shoot nd root weight, fresh nd dry R:S rtio, nd totl biomss. Figure 1 shows the totl fresh nd dry biomss of nine genotypes nd Bnks (genotype 20) in drought condition. Reserch conducted by Aditi Kondhi nd Rodnte E. Tbien. Generous funding for the plnt breeding project ws provided by the Texs Agrilife Reserch nd Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. For more informtion, contct Dr. Tbien t or retbien@g.tmu.edu. Phenotypic nd Physiologicl Comprison of Indic x Indic nd Indic x Jponic Hybrids Hybrid rice contributed to mjor brekthrough in rice productivity towrds the end of the pst century. Positive heterosis or hybrid vigor is the enhnced performnce expressed by n F1 hybrid derived from two geneticlly diverse prents. Commercil exploittion of heterosis in rice hs been ccomplished minly in Chin by wy of indic/indic or jponic/jponic crosses, which utilize the cytoplsmic mle sterile (CMS) system of hybrid production. Prospects for further yield enhncement is confronted by deploying wide comptibility gene(s) to overcome the problem of hybrid sterility in indic/jponic crosses. It hs been suggested tht these intersubspecific indic/jponic hybrids hve only been prtilly exploited nd tht it holds the key to generte (crete) superior performing rice hybrids. With the objective of estimting nd understnding the heterosis of rice hybrids reltive to their prents, eight indic/jponic nd four indic/indic hybrids re being evluted this summer. The field tril includes the 12 hybrids, 2 mintiner lines (ner-isogenic lines of mle-sterile lines), nd 6 mle prentl lines (4 jponic nd 2 indic) lid out in completely rndomized design. Observtions from life tble trits (number of min culm nodes nd number of tiller per plnt) nd destructive smpling (biomss by tiller group nd orgn type, lef re, specific lef weight, N concentrtion nd content, nd totl non-structurl crbohydrtes) will be conducted for ech genotype during four growth stges (tillering, pnicle differentition, heding, nd mturity). Photosynthetic rte mesurements will lso be recorded nd will be nlyzed in reltion to the dynmics in Texs Rice Specil Section - X

11 Breeding continued... biomss, TNC, nd N mong the different genotypes t the distinct crop growth stges. The prtitioning of biomss, TNC, nd N mong roots, stems, leves, nd pnicles of the min plnts nd tiller groups from tillering phse to mturity will lso be nlyzed. Dt obtined from this yer nd next yer s experiments will be sttisticlly nlyzed using nlysis of vrince (ANOVA), Tukey s Lest Significnt Difference (LSD) men comprison, nd correltion nlysis. Future prospects for using the primry phenotypic plnt trit prmeter dt produced from this study include modeling studies tht im to simulte growth, development, nd yield performnce of different hybrids nd their inbred prents for rnge of environments. Reserch being conducted by Jenit Thinkrn, Lloyd T. Wilson, nd S. Omr PB. Smonte. For more informtion, contct Jenit Thinkrn t jthinkrn@esrg.tmu.edu. Physiology Morphologicl nd Physiologicl Trits of Hybrids nd their Prents in 2010 Yield dvntges of hybrid vrieties over the verge of their prents (midprent heterosis) or over their better prent (heterobeltiosis) or over check vriety (stndrd heterosis) is usully ttributed to positive heterosis or hybrid vigor. However, there is still need to improve our understnding on the morphologicl, physiologicl, nd genetic ttributes tht collectively provide this heterotic dvntge. At the Texs A&M System, AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont, we re currently studying the phenotypic trits of hybrids developed by our Center nd their respective prents. In 2008, 8 hybrids (produced by 8 mle sterile lines nd one pollintor line) nd their prents (one prent is the pollintor line nd the other prent is represented by ner-isogenic line of the mle-sterile prent) were studied, while in 2009, 8 hybrids (produced by 4 mle sterile lines nd 2 pollintor lines) were studied. During 2010, the sme set of hybrids nd prents used in 2009 re being evluted. Prmeters tht were estimted for ech hybrid nd inbred prent the lst two yers will lso be estimted this yer. These include lef re index (LAI), photosyntheticlly ctive rdition (PAR) interception, cnopy nd verge lef re photosynthetic rtes, specific lef weight, nitrogen content nd concentrtion, nd numbers nd growth rtes of ech structurl prt (leves, stems, pnicles, nd roots). These dt re being obtined periodiclly from tillering to crop mturity, in both the min nd rtoon crop. Collectively, these dt will llow us to identify which plnt trits re primrily responsible for the hybrid yield dvntge. For ech line, we use chmber, which covers the inner 4-rows x 1.8 m of plot, to mesure the cnopy photosynthetic rtes. In our 2010 field experiment setup, 14 chmbers, one for ech hybrid or prentl, re connected to LI-6400 photosynthesis meter (Li-Cor Inc, Lincoln, NE) (Fig. 1). During ech smpling, photosynthesis in ech chmber is mesured sequentilly for 5 minutes. Smpling is continuous for up to 72 hours, providing photosynthesis mesurements for rnge of tempertures nd light intensities. After chmbers re removed, light is mesured bove nd below the cnopy of ech vriety every hour from 8:30 m to 4:30 pm using n AccuPAR LP-80 PAR/LAI meter (Decgon Devices, Inc., Pullmn, Wshington). Lef re index nd the biomss of ech structurl component re estimted for ech smple. At mturity of min nd rtoon crops, grin yield is estimted. Non-destructive smpling is lso conducted weekly, strting t the erly vegettive stge, to determine the number of leves on the min culm nd numbers of tillers Texs Rice Specil Section - XI Fig. 1. Photosynthesis chmbers nd LI-6400 photosynthesis meter being set up by Jmes Medley to monitor photosynthetic rtes of hybrids nd their prents.

12 Physiology continued... per plnt re determined. Reserch on this study is conducted by Lloyd T. Wilson, Stnley Omr PB. Smonte, nd Jmes C. Medley. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Wilson t lt-wilson@esrg.tmu.edu. Micrometeorologicl Mesurements System for Common Mesure of Pddy Environments The ccurte prediction of rice yield under vrious conditions is importnt for risk mngement. These predictions re only s good s the mesurements used in developing the reltionships used for the predictions. An ccurte prediction of rice response to ir temperture is problemtic becuse most reltionships re bsed on wether sttion dt tht differs from tempertures in the cnopy, yet our knowledge of rice cnopy tempertures is incomplete becuse of the lck of well-designed rice cnopy temperture Fig. 1. Initil trget regions for the worldwide multi-site monitoring of rice cnopy tempertures. monitoring devices. In 2009, n interntionl network of rice scientists ws estblished to use newly developed instrument for rice cnopy temperture dt cquisition. Strting in 2010, the instruments re being used to collect cnopy tempertures from rice pddies from diverse climtes round the world covering continentl nd costl climtes in low nd mid ltitude regions (Fig. 1). The reltionships between the ir temperture inside nd outside rice cnopy cn be very different depending on other environmentl conditions, such s solr rdition, wind speed, reltive humidity, nd hydrologicl conditions of the field. Other importnt fctors tht influence the therml conditions of the cnopy nd pnicles include physiologicl nd morphologicl properties of the rice vrieties. Using common methodology t ll of the loctions monitored, comprisons of the informtion gthered mong loctions will be enbled. This will llow us to develop more ccurte predictions of rice response to ir temperture. The led investigtors on the project re Myumi Yoshimoto, Minehiko Fukuok, nd Toshihiro Hsegw from the Ntionl Institute for Agro-Environmentl Sciences in Tsukub, Jpn. Other prticipnts re Xiohi Tin (Yngtze University, P.R. Chin), Mdn Pl Singh (Indin Agriculturl Reserch Institute, New Delhi), Tin Tin Myint Dw (Deprtment of Agriculturl Reserch, Mynmr), W.M.W. Weerkoon (Rice Reserch & Development Institute, Sri Lnk), Tnguy Lfrge (Interntionl Rice Reserch Institute, Philippines nd Centre Interntionl de Recherche en Agronomie pour le Développement, Frnce), Huu Sheng Lur (Ntionl Tiwn University, Tipei), Lee Trpley (Texs AgriLife Reserch, U.S.A), Tsutomu Mtsui (Gifu University, Jpn), Kzuhiro Kobysi (Shimne University, Jpn), nd Tsuneo Kuwgt (Ntionl Institute for Agro- Environmentl Sciences, Jpn). Reserch t Beumont conducted by Lee Trpley nd Abdul Rzck Mohmmed. The Agriculture, Forestry nd Fisheries Reserch Council, MAFF, of Jpn hs generously provided the opportunity to set up the worldwide network under the Multilterl Reserch Exchnge Project for Securing Food nd Agriculture. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Trpley t or ltrpley@tmu.edu. Effects of α-tocopherol, Glycine Betine or Slicylic Acid Appliction on Rice Production Oxygen is potentilly toxic to ll orgnisms becuse metbolism nd environmentl stresses generte rective oxygen species (ROS) from the oxygen. Plnts exposed to het, cold, drought, nd slinity produce ROS, which dmge cell membrnes, which in turn cuse reduction in yield. Alph-tocopherol, glycine betine (GB), nd slicylic cid (SA) ply importnt but different roles in preventing oxidtive dmge. The objective of the study ws to determine the effects of α-tocopherol, GB, nd SA on rice morphology, phenology, nd physiology. Rice plnts of vriety Cocodrie were grown in 3-L pots in the greenhouse. Alph-tocopherol ws pplied Texs Rice Specil Section - XII

13 Physiology continued... Tble 1. Effects of α-tocopherol, glycine betine, or slicylic cid on min-stem pnicle nd grin (dehulled) chrcteristics of rice plnts. Prmeters Plnt Height (cm) Spikelet Fertility (%) Filled Grin per Pnicle (no.) Unfilled Grin per Pnicle (no.) Grin Length (mm) Grin Width (mm) Grin Nitrogen Content (mg/g) Grin Chlkiness (%) Grin Yield (g/plnt) Untreted 94.5± ±4.20 c 120.2±16.72 b 34.0± ± ±0.01 b 11.1± ±0.96 b 22.2±0.86 b α-tocopherol 95.1± ±2.48 c 139.9±18.21 b 30.9± ±0.03 b 2.20± ±0.24 b 28.8± ±1.24 b Glycine Betine 89.4±2.71 b 86.0±1.00 b 146.5± ±2.31 b 7.3±0.07 b 2.20± ±0.16 b 26.0± 0.88 b 25.1±1.29 Slicylic Acid 91.1± ±1.03 t the rte of 2.3 kg.i./h; GB ws pplied t 2.0 kg/h, nd SA t 12.9 g/h, 20 dys fter emergence. Plnt height, number of productive tillers, nd pnicle nd grin chrcteristics were determined t hrvest. Spikelet fertility ws defined s the rtio of filled grin to totl number of grin in the pnicle. Grin length, width, nd chlkiness of brown (dehulled) rice were determined using Winseedle, which uses imge nlysis of scnned color imges of the grin to clculte these prmeters. Grin nitrogen concentrtion ws mesured using FP-528 Nitrogen/Protein nlyzer. Lef photosynthetic prmeters nd respirtion rtes were mesured using LI-6400, while lef totl ntioxidnt cpcity ws estimted using DPPH ssy. Lef membrne stbility of the lef ws lso mesured. Appliction of α-tocopherol, GB, or SA ppliction did not ffect the number of reproductive tillers per plnt, number of dys to 1 st pnicle emergence, pollen germintion, nd 159.0± ±1.87 c 7.3±0.03 b 2.21± ± ± ±0.53 Ech vlue is the men ± stndrd error. Mens within ech column followed by different letter re significntly different from ech other t P < Fig. 1. Effects of α-tocopherol, glycine betine, nd slicylic cid on lef photosynthetic prmeters nd respirtion rtes. biomss per plnt. However, plnt height, spikelet fertility, grin chrcteristics, lef physiology, nd grin yield were ffected (Tble 1 nd Fig. 1). Appliction of α-tocopherol, GB, nd SA ech decresed respirtion rtes, reltive injury to the membrne, lef trnspirtion rtes, nd grin length, nd incresed wter use efficiency, Texs Rice Specil Section - XIII

14 Physiology continued... spikelet fertility, grin width, nd yield per plnt. The yield incresed s result of decresed consumption of photosynthtes nd incresed membrne stbility, which might hve ided in trnsport of photosynthtes to the grin, hence incresing spikelet fertility. Decresed membrne stbility cn disrupt wter, ion, nd orgnicsolute movement cross plnt membrnes, thus ffecting production, consumption, trnsport, nd ccumultion of photosynthtes, hence yield. Further field reserch is required to justify the profitbility of these chemicl pplictions for rice frming. Reserch conducted by Drs. Abdul Rzck Mohmmed nd Lee Trpley. Generous funding for the plnt physiology projects ws provided by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion nd the Texs Rice Belt Wrehouse. For more informtion, contct Dr. Trpley t or ltrpley@tmu.edu. Plnt Nutrition Nitrogen-Soil Test for Rice [N-ST*R] Current nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendtions re bsed on combintion of three fctors - vriety, soil texture, nd previous crop. To improve N fertilizer mngement for rice producers, stronger emphsis on the soil s bility to supply N should be considered becuse different soils nd fields hve different levels of ntive soil N fertility. Reserchers hve experimented with soil-bsed N tests s long s there hs been soil fertility reserch. Although some methods hve shown promise, nothing hs stood out s solid method for predicting crop s response to N fertilizer. Identifiction of simple soil test to mesure the mount of vilble soil N is becoming more nd more importnt nd will be essentil for the long-term sustinbility of rice production in the south. Benefits of soil N test re not just bout optimizing economic or gronomic returns, but mking environmentlly sound N fertilizer decisions. Recently, Arknss rice reserchers hve developed n nlyticl lbortory method for mesuring the mount of N in silt lom soil tht will minerlize or become vilble during the rice growing seson. This method enbles n N fertilizer rte recommendtion to be not just bsed on soil texture, previous crop, nd/or vriety, but on field-by-field bsis. Currently, vlidtion experiments re being conducted in Arknss, Louisin, Mississippi, nd Texs on the new Nitrogen-Soil Test for Rice (N-ST*R) to evlute its robustness. Louisin Stte University, Mississippi Stte University, nd Texs A&M University re cooperting on the development of N-ST*R. Stbiliztion of N fertilizer, especilly ure, is receiving quite bit of ttention from the industry nd scientific community due to the ese with which ure cn be lost vi mmoni voltiliztion following ppliction, s well s esclting N fertilizer prices, nd heightened environmentl concerns brought on by eutrophiction (excessive nutrients in body of wter, usully due to runoff of nutrients from the lnd) of our wterwys nd hypoxi (oxygen deficiency) in the Gulf of Mexico. Potentil or lleged stbilizers or urese inhibitors (Agrotin, Nutrisphere, Upgrde, X-Tend, N-Zone) hve been introduced to improve N fertilizer use efficiency in commercil rice production. Agrotin hs proven in our studies to be n effective urese inhibitor tht cn increse yields nd/or reduce the mount of N fertilizer required to mximize yields in rice. However, results from our studies indicte tht Nutrisphere, Upgrde, X-Tend, nd N-Zone re not effective urese inhibitors or stbilizers nd we do not recommend their use in rice. Reserch conducted by R.J. Normn, T.L. Roberts, N.A. Slton, C.E. Wilson, Jr., D.L. Hrrell, G.N. McCuley, nd T.W. Wlker. For more informtion, contct Dr. McCuley t gmccule@elc.net. Agronomy Is There Best Rice Vriety for Erly Plnting in Texs? Erly plnting of Texs rice cn potentilly provide incresed yields becuse the min crop reproductive period cn void the hottest prt of summer. Also, the rtoon crop hs dditionl time to mture before fll s cool wether limits grin mturtion. However, cool soils present t erly plnting dtes cn limit germintion, nd Texs Rice Specil Section - XIV

15 Agronomy continued... re often ssocited with soil diseses. Knowledge of the response of promising vrieties under erly plnting conditions in Texs is limited. In 2006, studies were initited to evlute current nd promising vrieties t erly plnting dtes t Egle Lke (silt lom) nd Beumont (cly). In this rticle, we emphsize the rnking of vrieties tht consistently perform well t the erly (very erly to mid-mrch) reltive to the optimum plnting dte t these loctions. The identifiction of good vrieties bsed only on yield t erly plnting will be ddressed elsewhere. Nitrogen fertility mngement ws typicl for the vrieties t the loctions. Fungicides were not pplied. The selection nd number of vrieties (24 totl) evluted differed mong yers nd loctions. Yield differences between the plnting dtes vried widely mong yer-loctions nd vriety. Erly plnting ws sometimes quite detrimentl nd sometimes very beneficil. Among the six vrieties tht were evluted for t lest five yer-loctions, the verge rnge of yield differences ws 3,454 lb/cre. No vriety ws immune to poor rnk performnce with respect to yield difference. However, mong the three vrieties tht were nlyzed for ll seven vilble yer-loctions, Presidio (medin = 4.3) nd XL723 (medin = 5) performed better (p = 0.125) under erly plnting, bsed on rnk performnce with respect to yield difference, compred to Cocodrie (medin = 8.17). Any benefit of erly plnting in Texs is generlly dwrfed by other fctors ffecting yield for prticulr yer-loction-vriety combintions. Presidio nd XL723 provide the lest risk mong the best-studied vrieties for plnting erly, if seeking to obtin yield equl to or better thn tht obtined by the sme vriety plnted within the optiml rnge of dtes, wheres Cocodrie presents the gretest risk. Reserch conducted by Lee Trpley nd Abdul Rzck Mohmmed. Support from the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion is gretly pprecited. We pprecite the help of Jck Vwter in conductnce of the studies t Egle Lke, nd of Mike Jund nd Drrell Hgler t Beumont. For more informtion, contct Dr. Trpley t or ltrpley@tmu.edu. Evluting Rice Vrieties nd Hybrids for Texs The yield nd qulity of rice crops is determined by their inherent ttributes nd mngement prctices. Therefore, vriety selection is one of the most importnt decisions producer hs to mke. Moreover, developing the corresponding mngement prctice for ech vriety is criticl. This Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion funded reserch is focused on the wek nd strong points of potentil nd nmed vrieties nd hybrids from public nd privte sources under Texs growing conditions. We re testing 16 entries for vrious gronomic trits on sndy soil t Egle Lke nd on cly soil t Beumont. First time Clerfield vrieties include CL111, CL181-AR, nd CL261 (Horizon Ag.). CL111 is very erly mturing, short plnt height, long-grin vriety. CL181-AR is semi-dwrf long-grin vriety. CL261 is n erly mturing, semi-dwrf, medium-grin vriety. LA2140, LA2149, nd Rex re three new conventionl vrieties, with the first two from LA nd the third from AR. Included in our test for two or more yers re the conventionl vrieties Bowmn (MS), Cthoul (LA), Cocodrie (LA), Presidio (TX), TXEL0022 (TX), TXEL0038 (TX), nd CL151 (Horizon Ag). Hybrids from RiceTec included in our test for two or more yers re XL723 nd herbicide resistnt CLXL729 nd CLXL745. Some of the gronomic dt collected will include: 1) min nd rtoon crop yield nd milling response with fungicide tretment, 2) different plnting dte nd seeding rte effects on min nd rtoon crop yield nd milling qulity, 3) the contribution of certin mngement prctices to rtoon crop Fig. 1. Rice min crop yield s ffected by plnting dte t Egle Lke in Texs Rice Specil Section - XV

16 Agronomy continued... yield using Cocodrie s the test vriety, 4) n economic rnking of ech entry s verge min, rtoon, nd totl crop net income, nd 5) vriety chrcteristics, tillering potentil, nd growth stge dt for vriety-specific mngement. Reserch conducted by Fugen Dou nd Lee Trpley. Generous funding for these projects provided by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. For more informtion, plese contct either Dr. Dou (f-dou@esrg.tmu.edu) or Dr. Trpley (ltrpley@tmu.edu) t Pest Mngement Reserch Highlights of the Entomology Project for 2010 The Entomology Project s (EP) min focus is to revise, develop, implement nd extend integrted pest mngement progrms for the rry of insects ttcking rice, soybens, nd biofuel crops, including energy cne nd vrious sorghums. For this rticle, rice will be emphsized. Rice reserch in 2010 emphsizes novel seed tretments for the control of rice wter weevil, chinch bug, phids, thrips, fll rmyworm, South Americn rice miner, nd stlk borers. Crucil informtion is needed to refine tretment rtes in reltion to seeding rtes. For economic nd environmentl purposes, our rice frmers should pply the lest mount of pesticide nd still obtin good control over the pest. As you probbly know, hybrid vrieties re plnted t bout 25 lb/cre, while conventionl inbred vrieties re plnted t bout 60 to 90 lb/cre. If given mount of insecticide is pplied to 100 lb of seed, then lower seeding rtes will result in less insecticide pplied on per cre bsis versus higher seeding rtes. How does this difference ffect efficcy of the insecticide? is n importnt question to nswer for ll new seed tretments. In 2010, the EP is evluting the seed tretments Nipsit INSIDE (ctive ingredient,.i. = clothinidin), Dermcor X-100 (.i. = rynxypyr/chlorntrniliprole) nd CruiserMxx (.i. = thimethoxm). Experiments re being conducted t Beumont, Egle Lke, nd Gndo to obtin dt tht represent ll prts of the Texs Rice Belt. The EP recently revised the tretment thresholds Tble 1. Revised tretment thresholds for rice stink bug (RSB). Projected Yield (lb/cre) Averge Number of RSBs /10 Sweeps t Rice Growth Stges Heding for the rice stink bug (Tble 1), which lso re published in the 2010 Texs Rice Production Guidelines. These tretment thresholds re higher thn the older ones, which mens tht you should not hve to spry s often s in the pst for this pest. Also, reserch conducted in 2009 in collbortion with rice entomologists from the other southern rice-producing sttes (Drs. Kelly Tindll, Mike Stout, Ntlie Hummel, nd John Bernhrdt) reveled Texs popultions of rice stink bug were hrder to kill with Krte Z thn popultions in the other sttes (Fig. Milk Soft Dough Hrd Dough 4, , , , Includes dults nd older nymphs (4th nd 5th instrs). Fig. 1. Lethl concentrtion to cuse 50% mortlity on the test popultion (LC50) of RSB Exposed to λ- cyhlothrin in the dult vil test. Texs Rice Specil Section - XVI

17 Pest Mngement continued... 1). Bsiclly, the tller the br in Fig. 1, the hrder to control rice stink bug. To summrize, Texs rice stink bugs were 2 to 3 times hrder to control thn rice stink bugs in other sttes. These dt were submitted to TDA nd USEPA to help obtin n Emergency Exemption Section 18 for Tenchu 20SG which ws recently pproved. The EP is grteful for the support provided by Texs rice frmers through check-off monies which help the EP solve entomologicl problems confronting our clientele. Reserch conducted by Mo Wy, Mrk Nunez, nd Becky Person. For more informtion, contct Dr. Mo Wy t mowy@ esrg.tmu.edu. Impct of Enhnce 250 on Cocodrie Production in Texs Frmers re continully looking for wys to increse yield while reducing costs nd lbor. Enhnce 250 is product being mrketed in Texs t cost of $8.50/cre t n 8 oz/cre rte with clims to impct pests nd plnt helth in rice nd other crops. Reports of tests in Asi hve shown tht Enhnce 250 incresed rice yield, decresed dys to hrvest, nd decresed the infesttion of lef blst nd sheth blight disese. Field reserch ws initited in 2009 to determine the effects of Enhnce 250 on Cocodrie rice production t the Dvid R. Wintermnn Rice Reserch Sttion ner Egle Lke, Texs (N 29 deg , W 96 deg ). A rndomized complete block design ws utilized with four replictions. Tretments included n untreted check nd Enhnce 250 pplied t 0.5 pt/cre or 1.17 l/h t four-lef (4LF), preflood, pnicle differentition (PD) or combintion of these stges. The test ws plnted 5 My 2009 nd ws fertilized with 250 lb/cre of preplnt. Eighty lb/cre N s ure ws pplied preflood nd 70.0 lb/cre N s mmonium sulfte ws pplied t PD. All plots were hrvested on 27 August Untreted plots produced men yield of 7,605 lb/cre. Sttisticl nlysis showed no significnt differences in men yield mong the tretments. The tretments showing numericl increse in men yield where Enhnce 250 ws pplied preflood t 0.5 pt/cre or 1.0 pt/cre (8,100 lb/cre nd 7,976 lb/cre grin yield, respectively) nd sequentil pplictions of Enhnce 250 pplied t 0.5 pt/cre t 4 LF stge followed by 0.5 pt/cre preflood stge then 0.5 pt/cre t PD (7,822 lb/cre grin yield). The lte plnting dte of this test my hve cused reduction in yield, nd testing will be conducted gin in 2010 with more timely plnting dte. Erly testing suggests tht Enhnce 250 hs no dvntgeous effect on Cocodrie rice production in the Western Are of the Texs Rice Belt. Reserch conducted by J.L. Smford, G.N. McCuley, nd L.J. Vwter. For more informtion, contct Dr. McCuley t gmccule@ elc.net. Estblishment of New Rice Disese Nurseries in Texs Genetic resistnce is the most effective nd economicl method to mnge rice diseses. However, high levels of resistnce to sheth blight, nrrow brown lef spot, nd bcteril pnicle blight re often not redily vilble in the leding, high-yielding vrieties. Texs producers re in need of new vrieties resistnt to diseses, especilly to multiple diseses. In n effort to expnd the ongoing disese screening tht is conducted t the Center for blst nd sheth blight disese by USDA-ARS, the Rice Plnt Pthology Tem t the Texs A&M AgriLife Reserch nd Extension Center t Beumont hs initited disese screening progrm by estblishing new disese nurseries t multiple loctions. The gol of this progrm is to increse our cpbilities to serch for new sources of resistnce, to breed for new resistnt vrieties, nd to ssist in vrietl recommendtions for Texs rice producers. Two disese nurseries were estblished in 2010, one t Egle Lke nd the other t Beumont. These loctions re representtive of two different environments in the Texs Rice Belt. The nursery t Egle Lke is being used to evlute 186 breeding lines nd vrieties included in the 2010 Uniform Rice Regionl Nursery (URRN). The nursery t Beumont contins 68 vrieties nd lines focused on current nd new vrieties, potentil releses, nd the Texs preliminry nd dvnced elite lines in the URRN. The primry diseses screened include sheth blight, bcteril pnicle blight, nrrow brown lef spot, nd brown lef spot. While the Egle Lke s nursery Texs Rice Specil Section - XVII

18 Pest Mngement continued... evlutes disese rections only on the min crop, the Beumont s nursery evlutes both min nd rtoon crops. Sheth blight nd bcteril pnicle blight re rtificilly inoculted into plots to enhnce disese development while other diseses utilize nturl infections. Additionlly, in collbortion with scientists t USDA-ARS in Arknss, third disese nursery ws estblished t Beumont in 2010 to identify nd mp resistnce genes ginst nrrow brown lef spot, one of the most importnt rice diseses in Texs, Louisin, Asi, nd Ltin Americ. This study contins 233 recombinnt inbred lines derived from cross of the susceptible Lemont vriety nd the resistnt Jsmine 85 vriety. This reserch ws funded, in prt, by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. Reserch conducted by Xin-Gen Zhou, Rodnte E. Tbien, Yulin Ji, Ann McClung, Grry McCuley, Gungjie Liu, nd Jck Vwter. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Xin-Gen (Shne) Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. A New Disese Present in Texs Rice Accurte identifiction nd dignosis of diseses is essentil for rice frmers to select the proper disese mngement options. This reserch reports new disese present in Texs nd briefs how to distinguish this new disese from other similr existing diseses. In 2009, new disese ws found to be present on severl rice vrieties nd breeding lines, including Cocodrie, Cypress, nd Lemont, in Beumont, TX. The disese is clled rice white lef strek, which is cused by the fungus Mycovellosiel oryze (syn. Rmulri oryze). The disese commonly ppers on the bldes of lower leves s rice mtures. The symptoms of white lef strek re chrcterized by nrrow lesions with white to light gry centers nd surrounded by very nrrow, brown mrgins Fig.1. Comprisons of typicl symptoms of white lef strek (left), nrrow brown lef spot (middle), nd brown lef spot (right). (Fig. 1). The symptoms re similr to those of nrrow brown lef spot (Fig. 1) cused by Cercospor jnsen except tht white lef strek lesions re reltively wider with white to light brown centers. The symptoms of white lef strek re different from those of brown lef spot (Fig. 1) cused by Cochliobolus miybenus. In the U. S., only Texs nd Louisin hve reported the occurrence of rice white lef strek. The disese lso occurs in Nigeri, North Borneo, Ppu New Guine, Sierr Leone, nd the Solomon Islnds. The occurrence of the disese in Texs is of concern becuse most Southern rice vrieties including Cocodrie re susceptible or modertely susceptible to white lef strek, nd no informtion is vilble for effective mngement of the disese. This reserch ws funded, in prt, by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. Reserch conducted by Xin-Gen (Shne) Zhou. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. Updte on the Occurrence of Rice Diseses in Texs The Texs rice crop is ffected by mny diseses ech yer. However, the presence nd severity of given disese vry with yer nd loction. This is result from direct interctions of vrietl resistnce, pthogen species, environmentl conditions, nd humn ctivity. We provide preliminry updte on mjor, potentil, nd minor yield-reducing diseses in Texs rice bsed on the field observtions, surveys, nd reports conducted in 2009 nd previous yers. Mjor diseses of rice in Texs include sheth blight (Rhizoctoni solni), blst (Mgnporthe oryze), nrrow Texs Rice Specil Section - XVIII

19 Pest Mngement continued... brown lef spot (Cercospor jnsen), brown lef spot (Bipolris oryze), nd seedling diseses (cused by severl pthogenic fungi). Sheth blight is the no. 1 disese nd occurs in lmost every rice field. Nrrow brown lef spot (lso clled Cercospor lef spot) nd brown lef spot tend to be more severe on the second (rtoon) crop nd on orgniclly produced rice. Although severe rice blst hs not been observed in Texs for mny yers, due in prt to improved vrietl disese resistnce, it still Fig.1. Typicl symptoms of bcteril pnicle blight (left) nd sheth rot (right). poses thret to rice production. Seedling diseses lso cn be serious in erly-plnted rice, prticulrly for rtooning in wter-seeded rice. The diseses tht re of potentil importnce to rice production in Texs include bcteril pnicle blight (Burkholderi glume) (Fig. 1), sheth rot (Srocldium oryze) (Fig. 1), stem rot (Mgnporthe slvinii), flse smut (Ustilginoide virens), kernel smut (Tilleti brclyn), nd strighthed ( physiologicl disorder with unknown cuses). Bcteril pnicle blight is usully ssocited with bnormlly high night tempertures during the heding nd flowering stges. The disese hs become concern in recent yers in Arknss nd Louisin. Although the extent of its occurrence nd economic significnce in Texs is unknown, it cn cuse yield losses up to 50% under experimentl conditions, posing potentil thret to rice production. Sheth rot hs tended to increse in severity in recent yers, especilly on the rtoon crop. Flse nd kernel smut my cuse significnt monetry losses if rice is hevily contminted with the spores of the fungi. Strighthed cn be problemtic in fields with sndy lom, rsenic residues or non-decying orgnic mtter. Minor diseses include blck kernel (Curvulri lunt), crown sheth rot (Geumnnomyces grminis), lef smut (Entylom oryze), lef scld (Microdochium oryze), pecky rice (vrious fungi nd bcteri nd insect injuries), stckburn (Alternri pdwickii), nd sheth spot (Rhizoctoni oryze). Texs nd other U. S. rice-producing sttes currently do not hve ny serious virl or nemtode diseses. We sincerely pprecite the finncil support provided by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. Reserch conducted by Drs. Xin-Gen (Shne) Zhou, Young-Ki Jo, nd Mo Wy. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. Efficcy Evlution of Fungicides for Rice Diseses Fungicides re lst control option but essentil for effective mngement of rice diseses. Selection of effective fungicides pplied t proper rtes nd times re key to reduce control costs nd mximize production return. In 2010, we re conducting four field trils t Egle Lke nd Beumont to evlute new fungicides or new formultions of fungicides for their efficcy nd to identify best timing nd rte for control of diseses of the min nd rtoon crops. Diseses evluted include sheth blight, nrrow brown lef spot, seedling diseses, flse smut, nd kernel smut. The 1 st tril is estblished t Egle Lke to evlute the efficcy of two newly formulted fungicides for control of the seedling disese complex, sheth blight, nd nrrow brown lef spot in the min crop. The two fungicides evluted re CruiserMxx nd QuiltXcel, which re, respectively, newly registered nd formulted fungicides provided by Syngent. The 2 nd tril is estblished t Egle Lke to identify the best timing nd rte of pplictions of propiconzole (PropiMx) for control of nrrow brown lef spot on the min nd rtoon crops. The fungicide will be pplied t 0, 5, nd 10 fl oz/cre t the boot or heding stges of the min crop nd t the pnicle differentition (PD) or boot stges of the rtoon crop. The 3 rd tril is estblished t Beumont to evlute efficcy of new seed tretment chemistries in comprison Texs Rice Specil Section - XIX

20 Pest Mngement continued... with CruiserMxx for control of seedling diseses of rice. These new chemistries were provided by Vlent U.S.A. Corportion. The 4 th tril is being conducted t Beumont to determine the efficcy of new seed tretment chemistries in combintion with folir fungicides for control of flse smut nd kernel smut. The fungicides were provided by Byer CropScience. We pprecite the finncil support from the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion, nd the chemistry mteril support from Byer CropScience, Vlent U.S.A. Syngent, nd DowAgroSciences. Reserch conducted by Xin-Gen (Shne) Zhou, Gungjie Liu, nd Jck Vwter. For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. Biologiclly-Bsed Integrted Mngement of Rice Sheth Blight Sheth blight cused by Rhizoctoni solni is the most importnt disese of rice reducing yield nd qulity in Texs nd other southern rice-producing sttes. Since none of the leding high-yielding vrieties hve cceptble levels of resistnce, sheth blight mngement hs been lrgely dependent on fungicides. Excessive use of fungicides is costly nd cn be hrmful to the environment. Biologicl control hs been recently considered promising option. In this study, we re developing microbil biocontrol strtegy nd incorporting this strtegy into current fungicide mngement progrms iming to develop low-cost, effective, integrted mngement of sheth blight with significnt reduction in the input of fungicides. In vitro nd greenhouse ssys were conducted to screen biocontrol gents for suppression of sheth blight in rice. Seventy bcteril strins tht previously demonstrted growth promotion in other plnts nd ntibiosis ginst other plnt pthogens were exmined for their ntifungl ctivity on mycelil growth of R. solni, germintion of scleroti, nd hyphl growth of germinted scleroti. They were lso exmined for their bility to inhibit lesion development on lef bldes nd sheths of seedlings in the greenhouse. Ten out of 70 strins showed significnt inhibition of myceli growth nd hyphl growth of germinted scleroti. Four of these 10 strins lso significntly inhibited the germintion of scleroti. When tested in the greenhouse, 10 strins, most of which belong to Bcillus subtilis, significntly reduced the lesions on lef bldes nd sheths (Fig. 1). The performnce of selected biocontrol strins nd their combined use with reduced rtes of fungicides under field conditions is being evluted t Beumont in This reserch ws funded, in prt, by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. Reserch conducted by Xin-Gen Zhou, Mngl S. Reddy (Auburn Univ.), Joseph W. Kloepper (Auburn Univ.), nd Shoun Zhng (Univ. of Florid). For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. Biocontrol of Rice Bcteril Pnicle Blight Fig. 1. Comprisons of severity of sheth blight in rice plnts not treted (untreted control, left pot) or treted with ntgonistic bcteri (right pot). Bcteril pnicle blight, primrily cused by Burkholderi glume, poses potentil thret to rice production in the southern U. S. Yield nd qulity losses depend on yer nd loction, nd estimted yield losses cn be s gret s 50% under experimentl conditions. The pthogen is seed-borne nd cuses seedling blight, sheth rot, lef lesions, nd pnicle blight. Most commercil vrieties re susceptible. No effective chemicls hve been developed or registered for use in the mngement of bcteril pnicle blight. Currently there re no Texs Rice Specil Section - XX

21 Pest Mngement continued... effective recommended disese mngement options vilble. We hve initited biocontrol study with the im of utilizing ntgonistic bcteri s one of the components of n effective integrted mngement progrm for bcteril pnicle blight on rice. In vitro screening tests were conducted in 2009 to evlute 19 strins of different bcteril species on B. glume-pplied medium for ntimicrobil ctivities. All these bcteril strins hve shown ntgonistic bility towrd other importnt plnt pthogens including the rice sheth blight pthogen Rhizoctoni solni AG 1-IA in prior studies. Among 19 strins evluted, seven strins (five Bcillus subtilis subsp. subtilis strins nd two B. myloliquefciens strins) showed strong ntgonistic ctivity ginst the pthogenic bcterium B. glume. Greenhouse efficcy tests were further evluted for these seven bcteril strins tht showed ntgonistic ctivities in vitro. Pnicles of the rice vriety Cocodrie t the flowering stge were spryed with suspensions of ntgonistic bcteril cells nd then spry inoculted with cell suspension of the pthogenic bcterium isolte. Among seven ntgonistic bcteril strins evluted, two strins of B. subtillis subsp. subtillis reduced bcteril pnicle blight severity by more thn 57% compred to the untreted (Fig. 1). Two field trils hve been estblished t Beumont in 2010 to evlute the performnce of these two B. subtillis subsp. subtillis strins under field conditions. This reserch ws funded, in prt, by the Texs Rice Reserch Foundtion. Reserch conducted by Xin-Gen Zhou, Joseph W. Kloepper (Auburn Univ.), Mngl S. Reddy (Auburn Univ.), Shoun Zhng (Univ. of Florid), nd Donld E. Groth (Louisin Stte Univ.). For more informtion, plese contct Dr. Zhou t (409) ext or xzhou@esrg.tmu.edu. Rice Disese Reserch in Orgnic Production Systems Orgnic rice production hs incresed significntly in the U. S. with 35,000 cres currently under production. Texs orgnic rice crege hs been incresing stedily over the lst 10 yers with crege in 2009 reching 16,000, ccounting for pproximtely 10% of the totl Texs rice crege. Control of pests including weeds nd diseses in orgnic rice is prticulr chllenge due to the lck of effective orgnic pesticides. The objectives of this reserch were to evlute the effects of orgnic versus conventionl mngement on common folir diseses nd to exmine the impct of orgnic fertilizers on nrrow brown lef spot in orgnic rice. Twenty-four rice vrieties nd lines were grown under recommended orgnic or conventionl mngement systems t Beumont, TX, in These vrieties nd lines differentited their responses to nrrow brown lef spot nd brown lef spot under orgnic nd conventionl production conditions. However, both folir diseses tended to be more severe on most of the Texs Rice Specil Section - XXI Fig. 1. Comprisons of severity of bcteril pnicle blight on rice pnicles not treted (left) or treted with ntgonistic bcteri (right). Fig.1. Effects of orgnic fertilizers on severity of nrrow brown lef spot in orgnic rice.