Transfer of Drought Tolerant QTL s through Marker Assisted Selection in Rice Oryza Sativa L

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), is the most important staple food crop in the world, newlineand feed over half of the global population and placed on second position in cereal newlinecultivation around the globe. It is widely grown for millions of people of developing newlinecountries in Asia, Africa and Latin America in different ecosystem of tropical and newlinesubtropical regions of the world under varying temperature and water regimes. It also newlineprovides employment for over one billion, who either work directly in rice production newlineor in related supported activities. The projected increase in global population to 9 newlinebillion by 2050, predicted over water scarcity, decrease in arable land, the constant newlinebattle against the new emerging pathogens and pest, and possible adverse effects from newlineclimate change will present great challenges for rice breeders (Khushet al., 2009). newline