Production and molecular characterization of wide cross derivatives in rice

Abstract

The reduced genetic variability of modern rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) is of great concern because it reduces the possibilities of genetic gain in breeding programs. Introgression lines (ILs) containing genetic fragment from wild rice can be used to obtain new improved cultivars. The objective of the present study was to develop ILs from the cross between O. sativa x O. longistminata aiming to be used in rice breeding program. In the present study, 12 ILs were produced. Among them, three ILs were highly resistant to all the isolates of bacterial blight from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. A 900 bp DNA fragment linked to Xa21 was raised in these introgression lines and in O. longistminata by a pair of primers confirming the presence of Xa21 gene in these lines. Results indicated that Xa21 has broad spectrum of resistance to bacterial blight and wild species are the useful source for resistance.