Marker Assisted Introgression of Yield QTLs under Drought into Elite Rice Cultivar HUR917

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple food crops. In India, out of 141.6 million hectares (Mha) of net area sown, rice occupies ~30.2% (43.78 Mha) with a production and productivity of 118.43 million tonnes and 2,690 kg/ha, respectively (2019-20) (Indiastat, 2020). Global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and nearly ~17.8% of them would be living in the Indian sub-continent (Godfray, 2010). Meeting the food security needs of this population amid shrinking resources such as cultivable area and irrigation water is going to be very challenging. Climate change associated with unpredictable and unseasonal weather pattern resulting in crop failures has also add to the dimensions of the challenge for feeding the ever-burgeoning population. Hence, there is a sustained need to focus on crop improvement for yield and adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses that cause significant economic losses. newline