Rice blast, a continued threat to global food security

MANILA, Philippines— "Rice blast plays a major reason for the loss of production of rice grain. That loss of rice production feeds into poverty and hunger issues," stated Director General Matthew Morell of the International Rice Research (IRRI). “The topic of rice blast fits with IRRI’s mission of securing rice supplies.” Morell made the comments in a pre-recorded welcome to participants of the 7th International Rice Blast Conference held in Manila, 9-13 October.

This sentiment was echoed in the keynote address of IRRI Director General Emeritus Robert Zeigler (right photo). “Anything that threatens rice production threatens the lives of the most fragile people in the world,” Zeigler said, before more than 200 scientists and researchers from 26 countries attending the conference. They came to learn of the latest developments in host-pathogen interactions, genomics, resistance breeding, and management practices to combat the insidious fungus.

“So, the work that we’re doing to assure stable and growing rice production is critical to the overall food security of the world,” said Zeigler. “That’s something we should never forget.”

He added that the situation is going to continue for the foreseeable future. “The demand for rice is going to increase in the coming decades—certainly during my lifetime as well as in the lifetimes of every person in this room,” Zeigler emphasized. “And that increase will further be threatened by rice blast unless we do something about it.”

Zeigler, one of the world’s leading plant pathologists, admitted that he once was captivated by this fungus pathogen early on as a graduate student. “It is very, very difficult to get our hands around rice blast despite the excellent efforts to completely manage the rice crop. This interesting and complex disease never ceases to surprise us.”

Zeigler urged the participants to pay attention to climate change. “We must work with our crop modelers to try to predict where climate might exacerbate future problems with the fungus. Changes in management practices will be critical in determining remedies for decades to come.”

The conference was an opportunity for experts from all
over the world to discuss scientific innovations in managing
one of the biggest threats to rice production and food security.

With the theme, New Insights into the Rice-Magnaporthe oryzae interactions for better management of rice blast, the 4-day conference also featured a keynote lecture by Dr. Jin-Long Qiu from the Institute of Microbiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He talked about Genome editing for crop improvement.

“It is amazing to see a community come together and reconnect right away because of a common passion,” said Dr. Hei Leung, head of IRRI’s Genetics and Biotechnology Division and conference chair. “This conference has been a great opportunity for each one of us to learn and respect each other’s achievements—I think that’s the driving force of the rice blast community. It’s functioning as a community of practice.”

The conference also featured the soft launch of the online resource, Rice diseases: their biology and selected management practices. Featured online, for now, are the Preface and Introduction (The Future Impact of Rice Diseases by Zeigler and Leung) and the full section on rice blast. The latest information on around 70 more rice diseases will be placed online as it becomes available from the technical editors.

Participants spent the last day of the conference visiting IRRI headquarters to meet with relevant rice scientists and learn about IRRI’s work on rice blast.

IRBC07 participants came from Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, France,
Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Madagascar, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Singapore,
Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, and Vietnam.

IRRI's work on disease and pest-resistance rice

Photos 

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IRRI leadership changes hands during stirring turnover ceremony

         Incoming Director General Matthew Morell proudly waves the IRRI flag after receiving it from outgoing
Director General Robert Zeigler and IRRI Board Chair Emerlinda Roman.  

In stirring rites held early Friday afternoon at the headquarters of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Matthew Morell took over the reins as the institute’s ninth director general (DG). Outgoing DG Robert Zeigler presented Morell with the IRRI charter and flag during the turnover ceremony.

Just prior to handing over the tokens of leadership to his successor, Zeigler said (video clip), “My special thanks goes to IRRI staff  all around the world for their tremendous dedication and contribution to what IRRI does, what IRRI is, and how IRRI is seen. It makes me tremendously proud to reflect on what it has meant to me to have the great fortune of being at the helm as director general.”

Zeigler went on to say that “as the world changes, challenges change, opportunities change, and leaders change. An institution such as IRRI, which is driven by a clear vision and mandate and retains its value, will continue to grow and develop—and that is what change is all about. I am absolutely certain that Matthew is the right person for the job as he understands and fully absorbs the importance of what we do.”

Following the turnover, Morell said (video clip), “We stand on the shoulders of giants, so when you reflect on the directors general of IRRI—from Robert Chandler, Jr. (1960-72) to Robert Zeigler—it is striking how each director general took an individual approach to leading the development of the organization and shepherding the delivery of its mandate through their terms. I want to pay particular tribute to Bob for being at the helm during one of the most successful periods in IRRI’s history.”

“IRRI has a mandate that is completely compelling; that is, improving a product—rice—that is not only a commodity but a way of life,” Morell continued. “We are not just on a journey of technology, but of humanity. Whatever role you play at IRRI, it is an unbelievable honor and privilege to be an integral part of the delivery of rice science for a better world.”

Zeigler, an internationally respected plant pathologist with more than 30 years of experience in agricultural research in the developing world, was IRRI’s DG for a little more than 10 years—the second longest tenure after the institute’s founding DG, Chandler.

As DG, Zeigler set the institute’s strategic direction and was a passionate spokesperson on a wide range of issues that affect rice growers and consumers worldwide.

Morell, who has been IRRI’s deputy director general for research since February 2014, has shown effective strategic leadership of the institute. He brings to IRRI decades of experience, driven by great enthusiasm for scientific excellence and a sound capacity for stakeholder engagement. Prior to his arrival at IRRI, Morell worked for 16 years at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Also sharing their thoughts and hopes during the turnover were Emerlinda Roman, chair of the IRRI Board of Trustees; J.K. Ladha, representing IRRI’s senior scientists; Amelia Henry, representing IRRI’s young scientists; Joseph Sandro, representing the IRRI Filipino Scientists Association; Casiano Estrella, Jr., representing rice farmers around the world; Councilor Jaime Jimenez, representing the local government of Bay; and Serlie Jamias, vice chancellor for community affairs of the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Following the ceremony at the Havener Auditorium in IRRI, the audience of visiting dignitaries and IRRI staff moved across the street to a newly constructed observation deck overlooking the institute’s 209-hectare experiment station. In a brief dedication ceremony (video above), the expanse was dedicated as the Zeigler Experiment Station. A plaque stating such was unveiled in front of a surprised and visibly touched Zeigler by his wife Crissan, and BOT Chair Roman.

Access 17-video playlist of the day's speakers and events on YouTube.

     Flanked by Roman (left) and Morell, Zeigler and wife Crissan look at their personal version of
the plaque designating the IRRI  research farm as the Zeigler Experiment Station. 

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Award-winning Bangladeshi journalist and activist explores collaboration with IRRI Communication

Shykh Seraj is a Bangladeshi journalist, media personality, and agricultural development activist who has been promoting agricultural development in Bangladesh through electronic and print media for over 30 years. Seraj is credited with revolutionizing the agricultural sector of Bangladesh through television. He is also the founder of the first-ever Bengali satellite television station in Bangladesh.  

Seraj has received numerous accolades for his work, including the prestigious A.H. Boerma award from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization for his outstanding development journalism in the field of agriculture.

Seraj and other journalists from his network visited IRRI on 26 November to discuss possible collaborative media activities with the institute's communication unit.  

Seraj acknowledged what IRRI has done for the farmers of Bangladesh and offered to contribute to Rice Today magazine. 

Seraj also shared his strategy for popularizing developmental journalism in Bangladesh, including the use of social media. “Farmers are human beings so we make various programs for them that cover entertainment, health, culture, festivals, and others,” he said. 

During their visit, Seraj and his fellow journalists interviewed IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler, and Noel Magor, head of the Training Center, and Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton, head of the T.T. Chang Genetics Resources Center and the International Rice Genebank.

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Supporting food security from space

The Sentinel-1A mosaic stretches from Pakistan to the Philippines, with green areas showing vegetation, including rice (SAR imagery from ESA: Sentinel-1A © Copernicus data (2015). Background from Google Earth © Google Inc. Sentinel 1A mosaic created by sarmap and IRRI using Mapscape-RICE).

Los Baños, Philippines and Purasca, Switzerland – Standing rice crops in some parts of the world are routinely devastated by storms and extreme weather events, threatening the food security and livelihood of half of humanity. “sarmap and IRRI have developed tools that bring more transparency and accurate information to those who manage rice production, which is certainly important in general, and absolutely crucial for meaningful and targeted disaster response,” said Robert Zeigler, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). “Decision-makers need to know when and where rice is planted and harvested.”

Vietnam agriculture ministry and CGIAR align development agenda

MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh and IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler,
during the opening of the 1st MARD-CGIAR Coordination Meeting in Hanoi (6 November 2015).

HANOI, Vietnam – Seeking stronger complementarity in their joint research for development programs, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Vietnam and the 10 CGIAR centers operating in the country, as well as other national partners, sat together on 6 November 2015 for the 1st MARD-CGIAR Coordination Meeting.

The meeting, convened by MARD with the help of the IRRI Vietnam office, was headlined by MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Director General Robert Zeigler. Minister Phat and Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh co-chaired the afternoon and morning sessions, respectively, with Dr. Zeigler.

Myanmar: IRRI inaugurates second office in Yezin

Front row, from left: DAR Director General U Ye Tint Tun, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister U Myint Hlaing,
and IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler.

Myanmar Agriculture and Irrigation Minister U Myint Hlaing inaugurated a second office of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), bolstering further the cooperation between Myanmar and IRRI. The new office is located at the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) compound in Yezin.

Since 1965, IRRI has been involved with Myanmar researchers, extension personnel, and farmers in introducing rice breeding material, hybrid rice technology, and locally adaptable designs for rice transplanters and threshers. The rice variety IR8 was introduced in Myanmar in 1967. The Myanmar government has recognized IRRI’s contribution in the development of the country’s agriculture sector.

In his message, Minister Hlaing said that “DAR and IRRI needs to cooperate very closely” to pave the way for a food-secure Myanmar.

The IRRI-DAR office was inaugurated on 20 May with IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler and DAR Director General Ye Tint Tun.  Dr. Zeigler expressed his gratitude to Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI) and DAR for their continuous collaboration with the Institute.

Another IRRI-Myanmar office, in Yangon, opened in 2013. For the past 2 years, the IRRI-DAR office has been a base for IRRI researchers working on the development of rice varieties suited for rainfed-lowland environments. IRRI scientists, Drs. RK Singh and Bert Collard, are the lead scientists in managing IRRI research at this office.

The inauguration took place right after the launch of the Myanmar Rice Sector Development Strategy (MRSDS). The MOAI started to develop the MRSDS in 2013, with the support of IRRI, to boost its rice production through a carefully planned strategy that engages donor agencies and builds rice science capacity.

Myanmar: Positive results of technologies for unfavorable environments highlighted in CURE meeting

CURE participants during a field visit in Zay Yar Thiri Township, Myanmar.

Seventy participants from 10 countries in South and Southeast Asia, along with IRRI scientists and donor representatives, met to discuss and share their most significant accomplishments in developing, validating, and delivering technologies and information to millions of resource-poor rice farmers in Asia. This meeting is the 14th Annual Review and Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) and was held on 19–22 May in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. 

IRRI scientists and partners of the Consortium presented the progress of their research in different partner countries (i.e., Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh). These include knowledge sharing, building learning alliances, and exchanging science products. 

In his speech at the start of the meeting, IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler urged CURE to continue developing technologies that are useful for farmers in dealing with future problems and to make sure that these technologies reach them. 

Dr. Digna Manzanilla, IRRI scientist and CURE coordinator, said that “the cross-country partnerships formed by CURE have generated a lot of research and well-targeted technologies that benefit farmers from fragile ecosystems.” This was seconded by Dr. Fabrizio Bresciani, donor representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and added that “the Consortium should now tackle the systems that might slow down the adoption of stress-tolerant varieties or might be bottlenecks for dissemination of varieties produced under the CURE program.”

Participants also visited a rainfed lowland area in Zay Yar Thiri Township to interact with farmers, local leaders, local extension staff, and scientists from the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to discuss issues, coping mechanisms, and strategies of the local government in combating the impact of multiple stresses in rice production. 

Based on the scientific achievements of CURE, Dr. Ye Tint Tun, director general of DAR, asked the Consortium for continued technical assistance on biotechnology, germplasm access, extension support, and the development of the Rice Crop Manager for Myanmar. 

Myanmar poised to regain major role in global rice trade

IRRI Director General Robert Ziegler (2nd from left) presents the Myanmar Rice Sector Development Strategy with  former IRRI representative for Myanmar Madonna Casimero (left most), Myanmar President U Thein Sein (3rd from left), and MoAI Minister U Myint Hlaing.

NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar - The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is poised to not only transform its rice sector but to also recapture its prominence in the international rice market.

The Myanmar government made this commitment via the launch of the Myanmar Rice Sector Development Strategy (MRSDS) on 20 May 2015 at the Department of Agricultural Research in Nay Pyi Taw.

The MRSDS was drafted by the Myanmar government, led by its Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI), with technical input from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and international partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank.

Myanmar President U Thein Sein said the MRSDS symbolizes the collaboration between his country and IRRI toward a food-secure future for Myanmar and the rest of the world. He cited the work of IRRI scientists in the development of pest- and disease-resistant and stress-tolerant rice varieties; improved cropping systems; postharvest technologies; and better soil, pest, and water management practices that have raised productivity of rice systems in Myanmar, greatly benefiting smallholder farmers.

IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler said that “the wonderful scientific achievements of IRRI need to be combined with development strategies and coherent programs that governments are willing to implement over a long period of time” to ensure that farmers have access to and are able to use these.

Zeigler added that having a government demonstrably willing to transform and develop its rice sector, an environment conducive to rice production, and growing global demand for rice make Myanmar a good opportunity for investment.

U Myint Hlaing, Myanmar’s minister for agriculture and irrigation, said it is possible to break the cycle of poverty and hunger by “strengthening rural resilience, achieving social protection, and sustaining agricultural development,” all of which can be achieved through a clear road map for sustainable rice sector development such as that detailed in the MRSDS.

Also during the launch, Zeigler awarded a special rice memento to honor the Myanmar president for his visionary leadership of the rice sector and to commemorate the visit the president and his cabinet members made to the IRRI headquarters in Los Baños, Philippines, in December 2013.

A donors’ forum was held alongside the launch of the MRSDS, to provide international agencies the opportunity to discuss their respective efforts for the Myanmar rice sector. The forum, facilitated by Corinta Guerta, IRRI director for external relations, was attended by representatives from the FAO, Japan International Cooperation Agency, The World Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund, Welthungerhilfe, Mercy Corps, Food Security Working Group, Action Aid, International Fertilizer Development Center, Proximity, Korean International Cooperation Agency, and the Rural Development Administration.

IRRI has been working with the government of Myanmar since the early 1960s.

IRRI research hub in Hyderabad benefits South Asia

Arvind Kumar, leader of IRRI's rainfed lowland South Asia Hub plant breeding group, has the rapt attention of some of the Institute's BOT members on Thursday morning as he explains ongoing research in
 IRRI's experimental plots on the ICRISAT campus. 

Hyderabad, India- "In three short years, a systematic breeding program for irrigated direct-seeded rice (DSR) and rainfed conditions is now in place at IRRI’s South Asia rice breeding hub in Hyderabad, India,” says Arvind Kumar, IRRI plant breeder and head of the facility.

IRRI’s Hyderabad team has developed and identified lines that are suitable to drought conditions in South Asia. These lines are being developed in the background of popular mega-varieties in the region. Thus, drought-tolerant versions of Sambha Mashuri, MTU1010, Vandana, Anjali, and Kalinga3 are now ready to be tested and validated in many different locations in South Asian countries.

Kumar and his team have also developed lines that are drought-tolerant versions of Swarna-Sub1, a famous IRRI-bred, flood-tolerant variety that is in great demand by farmers.

“The unpredictable climate with its extreme fluctuations in rainfall and temperature during the wet and dry seasons is giving farmers extreme anxiety,” says Kumar. “Swarna-Sub1 with the drought tolerance trait will surely help those farmers in rainfed areas whose crops often suffer drought during one part of the season and then must endure floods during another part.”

Testing of the Swarna-Sub1 + drought lines began last year in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. “We also have some promising breeding lines for DSR and aerobic rice,” he adds.

Capacity-building programs for researchers in the region have also been conducted recently through the IRRI hub. These include Marker-assisted introgression of different traits to develop new generation climate-smart rice; Rice breeding: recent developments, emerging challenges, and future needs; and statistical analysis training.

New projects with support from the Indian government and international agencies have been initiated in the hub. These include a Harvest Plus-supported project on zinc biofortification; an ADB-supported project on climate-smart rice; and government-supported projects on breeding new rice varieties and improving productivity of different crops in Karnataka state.


 “We are really excited about the work being done in the hub,” says Robert Zeigler, IRRI director general. “The facility is already providing targeted breeding in India with a spillover benefit to its neighbors.”

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