Rice research for upland crops

1. Rice research for upland crops • Taking place in IRRI, the International Rice Research Institute outside of Manila, Philippines • Research has been ongoing for many years. • Started with research on dwarf varieties that led to the green revolution in rice technology • Recent research has focused on rice in rainfed regions where there is little or no scope for irrigation. • Land can be very dry or flooded at times, depending on location. • Research has focused on several aspects of the rice plant.

2. Rice research for upland crops • Focus is on developing plants that are resistant to drought and flooding. • Also focus is on developing plants that contain needed vitamins that are missing the diets of poor people, particularly vitamin A. • A lack of vitamin A can result in impaired vision and in extreme cases in blindness. • It is estimated that each year that rice without this added vitamin content will result in around 300,000 more cases of blindness in Asia.

3. Rice research for upland crops • This strain for vitamin A deficiency is independent of the development of high yielding varieties for rainfed areas. • So why aren’t all of these new varieties on the market right now? • Research by profit making firms is limited because they don’t profit from these new varieties that help the poor. • So most research is by IRRI and other nonprofits. • Some say that this is not the most cost effective way to deal with vitamin A deficiency. • Government approvals are needed to get the new rice distributed in individual countries. • Opponents say transgenic varieties are a health hazard

4. Rice research for upland crops • Already there are 3 million children with xerophatalmia, the main cause of child blindness and 11 million of clinical vitamin A deficiency and 250 million have a milder form which can increase susceptibility to measles. • Rice with vitamin A added can work with existing dwarf varieties that are already being used on farms throughout Asia. • There are questions of farmer acceptance. • How much will it cost and who will pay. • It is self-pollinating so no need to sell year after year.

5. Rice research for upland crops • Resistance is strongest in European countries that are influencing governments in the main rice growing areas of Asia. • India, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines would benefit the most since they grow a lot of rice and they have a lot of poor people. • Estimates are that it will take years before this new variety with vitamin called Golden Rice will be adopted by large numbers of farmers. • Why? • The rich countries are not engaged – Europeans don’t like genetically modified crops and there is resistance in Japan.

6. Rice research for upland crops • There is bureaucratic red tape and fear that it could cause some kind of damage to peoples health and to the environment. • For development of other rice strains that will resist drought and flood there have also been breakthroughs. • Also promising developments for varieties that will not need pesticide or herbicides.

7. Developments in cotton • New cotton varieties, called bt cotton, have been developed which are pest resistant • These varieties also are potentially higher yielding. • They have been adopted in several countries with goods results. • In some other countries results have not been so good. • Through genetic engineering, the bt gene can be "inserted" into cotton • The plant produces its own bt toxin. • Bt cotton provide control of tobacco budworm, pink bollworm, and cotton bollworm. • In 1998, bt cotton accounted for over a quarter of U.S. harvested cotton acreage.

8. Developments in cotton • In 1998, bt cotton accounted for over a quarter of U.S. harvested cotton acreage. • China has begun to adopt Bt cotton in the past decade. • Yields are about 5 percent higher than traditional varieties. • No need for pesticides. • In recent years some evidence that pests have adapted and are beginning to come back.

9. Developments in cotton • In India cotton is grown on just 5% of agricultural land. • However, more than 55% of all pesticides used in India are used in cotton production. • Pest infestation has dramatically increased in recent years, owing to the intensified use of chemicals. • Bt cotton seems to provide a solution. • Time will tell whether resistance will build up in the various pests that attack cotton. • Some Asian countries are planting illegally.

10. Developments in cotton • Monsanto is the main producer of Bt seeds. • Also being adopted in India and Indonesia. • Soil scientists argue that proper controls and monitoring have not been put in place by local authorities in developing countries. • Monsanto is not helping in the effort to monitor and control use of Bt cotton. • There are many web sites that give different opinions and analysis of Bt cotton.