Rice Production Course Transgenic rice and biosafety procedures

Rice Production Course Transgenic rice and biosafety procedures D. S. Brar PGPB, IRRI

Learning objectives • • • To describe general methods for rice improvement To describe genetic improvement of rice To define and describe transgenic rice To describe a brief history of transgenics in rice To explain production, characterization and evaluation of transgenic rice IRRI: Rice Production Course

Can anyone describe methods for rice improvement? Option 1 Management practices – Agronomic practices (sowing, fertilizer, water, soil preparation, etc. ) – Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – Integrated nutrient management – Post harvest losses (drying, storage, etc. ) Option 2 Genetic improvement Option 3 Combination of options 1 and 2 IRRI: Rice Production Course

What are the methods for genetic improvement of rice? 1. Conventional breeding methods – Hybridization, backcrossing, selection and evaluation of progenies 2. Wide hybridization (rice x wild species) 3. Tissue culture (anther culture, somatic cell culture) IRRI: Rice Production Course

4. Mutation (create new variation) 5. Molecular breeding (use of molecular markers) 6. Transformation (genetic engineering) – Introducing transgene/foreign genes through recombinant DNA technique but not through sexual hybridization IRRI: Rice Production Course

Can anyone define “transgenic rice”? Broadly speaking refers to any rice plant that carries foreign gene (s) introduced through genetic engineering techniques The transgene could be from a micro-organisms and different plants IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice Ø Gene = introduced directly into cultured cells (callus) and/or organs (immature embryo) using biolistic or Agrobacterium methods of transformation Ø Rice plants are regenerated from transformed cells and progenies and tested for the desirable agronomic trait (s) (eg. stem borer resistance) IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice Ø Transgenic rice = commonly referred as GM (genetically modified) rice Transgenics are released into environment after series of biosafety tests Ø Biosafety = safety of living organisms (human, microorganisms, plants, animals & insects, …) IRRI follows biosafety guidelines of NCBP, Philippines. IRRI: Rice Production Course

IRRI: Rice Production Course

A schematic protocol for production of fertile transgenic plants using: • biolistic systems, • protoplast systems • Agrobacterium systems (Datta, et al. ) IRRI: Rice Production Course

Brief history of transgenics in rice Ø Transgenic rice first produced in 1988 Ø Two methods commonly used to produce transgenics § Biolistic § Agrobacterium mediated Ø Both indica and japonica varieties have been transformed IRRI: Rice Production Course

Ø Transgenic rice have been produced carrying genes for: § § § herbicide resistance, bacterial blight, virus, sheath blight resistance stem borer resistance high iron, golden rice No commercial release of transgenic rice IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice – production, characterization and evaluation 1. Transgene availability – local or imported 2. Insertion into the elite line 3. Growing of transgenics in containment facility (CL 4), low level containment facility (screen house) 4. Characterization and evaluation of transgenics (based on agronomic and molecular chracteristics) 5. Commercial release of transgenics IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice with Xa 21 gene showing resistance to bacterial blight IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice (golden rice) with psy, crtl, lcy genes possessing B-carotene IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice with Bt gene showing resistance to stem borer IRRI: Rice Production Course

Some examples of transgenic rice produced at IRRI Trait Transgene(s) Status Xa 21 Field tested in India, China and Philippines Bt (cry 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, etc) Field tested in China. Bt genes introduced into many cultivars Sheath blight resistance Chitinase Transgenics show increased tolerance to sheath blight Abiotic stress tolerance DREB Transgenics produced are under evaluation psy, cry 1, lcy Many varieties transformed. Backcrossing used to introduce into other varieties by NARES Bacterial blight Stem borer resistance Golden rice (ß-carotene) IRRI: Rice Production Course

Transgenic rice and biosafety Biosafety component Activity (ties) Food and health safety Assessment of GM rice for toxicity, allergenicity and nutritional imbalance Environmental safety Capacity building on biosafety of GM rice Effect of GM rice on: • beneficial insects • soil micro-organisms • non-target species (plants, animals, microbes) • Gene flow from transgenic to non-transgenic rice and wild species of Oryza • Development of resistance to pests • Training courses/workshop on risk assessment, regulatory processes and public awareness • Detection of transgene(s) using PCR kits IRRI: Rice Production Course

IRRI: Rice Production Course

Can anyone briefly summarize the importance of transgenic rice? Questions or comments? IRRI: Rice Production Course