Danforth Scientists Discover Technology Against Rice Tungro Disease

The rice tungro disease has always been the bane of Asian farmers. But hopefully not for long. Scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a US-based not-for-profit research institute, have discovered a technology that reduces the spread of the rice virus. Danforth Center President Roger N. Beachy and Research Scientist Shunhong Dai demonstrated that transgenic rice plants that overexpress either of the two rice proteins are tolerant to infection caused by the rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTVB).

The two proteins, RF2a and RF2b, are transcription factors known to be important for plant development and may be involved in regulating defense mechanisms that protect against virus infection. Laboratory and greenhouse findings conducted at the Danforth Center were confirmed recently in a greenhouse trial conducted in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute. Results of this research will contribute to the control of the rice tungro disease known to reduce rice yield by up to 70% in the rice growing countries in Southeast Asia. 

For the full paper see the December 22, 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A press release of the discovery is available at http://www.danforthcenter.org/newsmedia/NewsDetail.asp?nid=157