Oryza barthii A. Chev

Abstract

Oryza barthii (formerly known as Oryza stapfii or O. breviligulata) is a part of the Oryza primary gene pool and possesses useful genetic diversity which is important for rice improvement. It is however poorly studied, and its genetic potential remains largely untapped. Inadequate understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying various important traits such as amylose content remains one of the challenges hindering the use of this species in rice improvement. Though O. barthii germplasm collections exist, available data indicate collection gaps that need to be addressed before these resources are lost from the habitats where they are currently found. Various genomic resources among them whole genome sequences are now available, and these have the potential for promoting the utility of this species in rice improvement. This chapter has reviewed the latest advances in genetics and genomics for O. barthii.