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Projects arrow Domestication of sand rice

K-2269

Domestication of sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum L.) based on use of biotechnology tools

Project Status: 3 Approved without Funding
Duration in months: 36 months

Objective

Sand rice (Agriophyllum squarrosum) is an annual herb adapted to mobile sand dunes in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia. The sand rice seeds have excellent nutrition value and have been historically consumed by local populations in the desert regions of Central Asia and northwest China. It is also an important fodder crop (on young stages of growth) for domestic animals in Kazakhstan. Sand rice is a potential food crop resilient to ongoing climate change and has high nutrient content with concentration of protein and carbohydrates. However, this species has undergone only little agronomic modifications through classical breeding and has low yield and unfavorable phenotypic traits such as seed shattering, thorns, and etc. In this project we propose to apply induced mutagenesis and genomics approaches to modify undesirable traits in order to improve adaptation to farmer fields and domesticate this species.

Wildly growing Agriophyllum squarrosum plants will be collected and genetically studied in initial steps of the project in Kazakhstan. Then in order to develop a mutagenized panel of lines selected plants will undergo induced mutagenesis by using gamma irradiation facility in Tsukuba, Japan. The collection of mutagenized lines will be studied by using field and laboratory trials for selection of high yield plants with desirable plant architecture. The scientific outcome of the project can significantly impact on development of new agricultural crop with high nutrient content and contribute to battle desertification processes in arid and semi-arid regions in the World.

Participating Institutions

LEADING

Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology of National Center of Biotechnology Ministry of Education and Science Republic of Kazakhstan (IPPGB)

PARTICIPATING

Branch of National Biotechnology Centre of the Republic of Kazakhstan

COLLABORATOR

National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences