Rice is the most important food crop and source of calories for four billion Asians. International Rice Research Institute was established in the Philippines in 1960 to address the problems of stagnant rice yield. Rice germplasm was collected from South Asian and other countries through collaborative efforts. This germplasm has been conserved in rice gene bank at IRRI. National Rice Improvement Programmes have also established their own gene banks for conserving the germplasm. Collected germplasm has been evaluated for various morphological and physiological traits, grain quality characteristics and biotic and abiotic stresses. On the basis of this evaluation, donors for rice improvement have been identified and utilized for developing improved rice varieties. These varieties have high yield potential, good grain quality, shorter growth duration, resistance to diseases and insects and tolerance to abiotic stresses. Improved germplasm has been shared with all the rice growing countries and has been widely adapted. As a result, major increases in rice production have occurred. Average yield of rice has almost doubled from 2.1 to 3.9 tons per hectare. The cost of rice production is 20–23% lower with high yielding varieties and the price of rice is 40–50% lower in the domestic as well as in the international markets. This is highly beneficial for the poor people who spend 50–60% of their earnings on food.
Rice germplasm, Collection, Conservation, Evaluation, Enhancement
