Biotech Updates

UK and Vietnam to Improve World's Top Staple Food

March 25, 2011

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of Understanding on rice genomics with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Vietnam. This marks the beginning of a major initiative to develop flood, drought, salt, and pest tolerance in rice as the world faces climate change and population increase.

A total fund of £350,000 will be used in a project to sequence the genomes of 30 high quality rice varieties. The new rice sequences will be used to breed rice varieties with improved traits. The genomics platform will be developed at the BBSRC's institutes John Innes Centre and The Genome Analysis Centre to enhance rice breeding in Vietnamese institutions.

For more information, visit http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/food-security/2011/110322-pr-uk-vietnam-collaboration.aspx.