GENETIC IMPROVEMENT IN RICE FOR RESISTANCE TO SOME DISEASES USING • GAMMA RAYS AND MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Rice (Oryza saliva L.) is one of the most important cereal crops, provides a carbohydrate source for more than half of the world's population. Rice diseases are one of the major limiting factors of rice production worldwide. In Egypt, blast (Magnaporthe grisea) and bakanae (Fusarium moniliforme) diseases are one of the major rice diseases tbat cause economically yield losses annually. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to improve rice for resistance to blast and bakanae diseases as well as yield and yield related traits using gamma rays and molecular techniques. The objectives of this study were as follows: I. Estimate genetic parameters of yield and yield related traits in M and M, bulks derived from irradiated three rice cultivars (Giza 177, Sakha I 01 and Sakha 104) with different doses of gamma rays. 2. Evaluate the selected genotypes which have useful traits (e.g. high yield, early maturity) for resistance to blast and bakanae diseases under natural and artificial infection conditions. 3. Characterize the selected mutants at molecular level using SSR

technique.

This study was carried out in Biotechnology Unit, Plant Research Department, Nuclear Research Center (NRC), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Inshas, Egypt, during 2012-2015. The field experiments and evaluation of disease resistance were conducted at Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Agricultural Research Center (/\RC), Gemmiza, Egypt.