Isolating higher yielding and more stable rice genotypes in stress environments: fine-tuning a selection method using production and resilience score indices

In Asia, the rice crop sustains millions of people. However, growing demand for this crop needs to be met while simultaneously reducing its water consumption to cope with the effects of climate change. Lowland cropping systems are the most common and productive but have particularly high water requirements. High-yielding rice genotypes adapted to drier environments(such as rainfed or aerobic rice ecosystems) are needed to increase the water use efficiency of cropping. Identifying these genotypes requires fast and more accurate selection methods. It is hypothesized that applying a new quantitative selection method(the score index selection method), can usefully compare rice yield responses over different years and stress intensities to select genotypes more rapidly and efficiently. Applying the score index to previously published rice yield data for 39 genotypes grown in no-stress and two stress environments, identified three genotypes(ARB 8, IR55419-04 and ARB 7) with higher and stable yield under moderate to severe stress conditions. These genotypes are postulated to be better adapted to stress environment such as upland and aerobic environments. Importantly, the score index selection method offers improved precision than the conventional breeding selection method in identifying genotypes that are well-suited to a range of stress levels within the target environment.

SHui, an EU-Chinese cooperative project to optimize soil and water management in agricultural areas in the ⅩⅪ century

This article outlines the major scientific objectives of the SHui project that seeks to optimize soil and water use in agricultural systems in the EU and China,by considering major current scientific challenges in this area.SHui(for Soil Hydrology research platform underpinning innovation to manage water scarcity in European and Chinese cropping systems)is large cooperative project that aims to provide significant advances through transdisciplinary research at multiple scales(plot,field,catchment and region).This paper explains our research platform of long-term experiments established at plot scale,approaches taken to integrate crop and hydrological models at field scale;coupled crop models and satellite-based observations at regional scales;decision support systems for specific farming situations;and the integration of these technologies to provide policy recommendations through socio-economic analysis of the impact of soil and water saving technologies.It also outlines the training of stake-holders to develop a basic common curriculum despite the subject being distributed across different disciplines and professions.As such,this article provides a review of major challenges for improving soil and water use in EU and China as well as information about the potential to access information made available by SHui,and to allow others to engage with the project.