Exploring Genetic Resource of Wild Rice Species for Neo-domestication

Objective

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple crop that provides sustenance to more than half of the global population and is vital to global food security. However, the viability of this crop is under threat from climate change. Water scarcity, extreme temperatures and soil salinity cause a reduction of the total seed yield in most of the cultivated rice species. The genus Oryza comprises 27 species spanning all continents and contains a vast amount of untapped genetic diversity relating to traits such as stress tolerance, root plasticity, and reproductive resilience. Different wild rice species are considered resilient to abiotic stresses, for this reason the strategic utilisation of this diversity through the implementation of innovative methodologies represents a pivotal opportunity for the future of sustainable agriculture. Indeed, conventional breeding programmes are not rapidly enough to produce cultivars that are adapted to these challenges. The Exploring Genetic Resource of Wild Rice Species for Neo-domestication (GRiNRICE) initiative is a collaborative effort involving prominent European and international academic, research institutions and company. The initiative aims to combine unique biodiversity with cutting-edge technologies. The primary objective of GRiNRICE is the employment of advanced genomics, genome editing and phenotyping techniques to investigate and exploit the genetic potential of wild Oryza relatives. The project will generate a comprehensive gene expression atlas for roots and inflorescence meristems under salinity, drought, and heat stress, complemented by morphological analyses using advanced microscopic techniques. Moreover, the Artificial Intelligences will be employed for both transcriptomics and phenotyping approaches. The functional validation of the promising candidate genes, who may be involved in stress resilience of rice at vegetative and reproductive stages, will be achieved through new breeding techniques, as CRISPR-Cas genome editing,