The United Kingdom-based Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has tapped the expertise of Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for six projects aiming to develop rice seeds, including the country’s indigenous heirloom rice.
“Several research projects that ensure the long-term sustainable production of rice, one of the world’s most important food crops, received financial support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [BBSRC],” the Irri said in a statement.
“The projects cover a wide range of important issues, including rice quality; resource use and photosynthetic efficiency; resilience to pests, diseases and environmental stresses; and novel research tool and technology development,” it added added.
The Newton Fund’s Sustainable Rice Programme will fund the 13 identified projects by the BBSRC, in collaboration with research teams in China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the Irri. Six of 13 identified projects will be undertaken in collaboration with the Irri.
The total funding for the six rice-focused researches is £3.417 million, or around P179.193 million, according to BBSRC.
The amount will fund these projects:
- Molecular characterization and genetic analysis of nutritional components of Philippine indigenous pigmented rice germplasm (£644,834);
- Real-time deployment of pathogen resistance genes in rice (£479,403);
- Enhanced Rice quality for Health (EnRicH) (£493,525); Rhizo-Rice: a novel ideotype for deeper roots and improved drought tolerance (£325,299);
- Developing rice with increased resistance to salinity and drought (£684,773) and climate-ready rice; and
- Optimizing transpiration to protect rice yields under abiotic stresses (£789,275).
“In the context of meeting the global sustainable development goals, it is crucial to accelerate science and explore possible innovations from sharing of resources, data and information,” said Achim Dobermann, Rothamsted Research director and former deputy director general for research at IRRI.
BBSRC is one of seven research councils that work together as Research Councils UK and provides a range of funding opportunities to enable individuals and groups to pursue world-class bioscience research, according to the IRRI.
In 2015 and 2016, it invested £473 million in bioscience, people and research infrastructure.