Global Rice Science Partnership's Accomplishments, Future Works Discussed

The Global Rice Science Partnership (GRISP), a CGIAR research program that provides a single strategic plan and unique new partnership platform on rice research, has reported its accomplishments since its inception in January 2011.

According to their report, six projects have been granted and are now up and running, mostly targeting the discovery of new genes and the development of novel technologies to increase the efficiency of breeding programs. One of these projects aims to increase the yield potential in rice using novel genomic and physiological approaches, including the exploration and use of the wild rice gene pool and combining multiple desirable genes (gene pyramiding) to get a single trait such as high yield.

Another project employs the power of phenomics, or the measurement of important traits such as yield, and responses to major stresses, and developing a global rice phenotyping network. GRiSP also runs a competitive program to facilitate "discovery science," or "blue sky research" where the unexpected scientific breakthroughs may have no immediate practical applications. It is relatively risky but, if successful, has potentially huge spin-off.

See IRRI's news release at http://irri.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=12591%3Agrisp-right-on-target&lang=en&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter.