Social and Gender Perspectives in Rice Breeding for Submergence Tolerance in Southeast Asia

Abstract

SUMMARYThe risks of flooding in rice production include losses that can affect some 13 million ha of rice lands in Southeast Asia. This study integrated social and gender perspectives into the varietal evaluation process to contribute to planned faster uptake of submergence-tolerant rice (Sub1) varieties. In this study, the participatory varietal selection (PVS) process was used in eliciting male and female farmers' opinions with respect to selecting popular varieties with the SUB1 gene introgressed, for added tolerance of flash floods of up to two weeks. Fifteen Sub1 varieties and the farmers' local check were tested under the PVS researcher-managed (PVS-RM) trials, which involved farmers' preference analysis (PA). The farmers tested the pre-selected lines with the SUB1 gene in their own fields to further evaluate their performance under varying conditions. During flooding, farmers experienced lower production depending on water depth, timing with respect to rice growth stage, duration, frequency of occurrence and quality. On-farm PA results showed wide variability in the performance of the Sub1 varieties compared with local popular varieties. This implies the need for further testing of pre-released lines in terms of adaptability and the continuous development of rice genotypes for varying flood-prone rice ecosystems. Women are as knowledgeable as men because of the significant roles they play in rice production and food preparation. Moreover, farmers and breeders have almost the same criteria in choosing the best performing rice lines. Sensory tests revealed the eating and cooking qualities important to farmers. The findings of this study can provide feedback to breeding programmes to ensure a greater likelihood of adoption and ultimately increasing rice productivity in submergence-prone rice areas.

Developing a framework of gastronomic systems research to unravel drivers of food choice

“…Studies have often associated these preferences (or a failure of accounting for them) with poor varietal adoption rates and the persistence of rice mega varieties despite the release of newer, improved varieties (Boualaphanh et al, 2011, Calingacion et al, 2014, Custodio et al, 2016, Laborte et al, 2015, Manzanilla et al, 2013). However, rarely do these studies deep-dive into the underlying factors that drive certain rice preferences.…”

Prospects of breeding high-quality rice using post-genomic tools

“…For example, results for sensory evaluation (preference and acceptability) have been reported in four countries where the quality of submergence-tolerant rice mega-varieties was evaluated (Manzanilla et al 2013). Affective tests deal mainly with measuring the acceptability of a product or a consumer's degree of liking or preference.…”

Managing Water and Soils to Achieve Adaptation and Reduce Methane Emissions and Arsenic Contamination in Asian Rice Production

“…National and international research centers already are engaged in efforts to develop new crop varieties that are tolerant of drought, higher temperatures, more variable rainfall, extended submergence, and salinity [11,12,14,133]. Success in developing such varieties will benefit farmers and consumers in many countries.…”

“…Rice is well adapted to these deltaic regions, many of which are characterized by monsoonal climates. Rice plants can tolerate extended periods in which the paddy soils are flooded or partly submerged, yet they are susceptible to damage from complete submergence caused by short-term or extended flooding [11][12][13][14][15]. The 2011 Southeast Asian flood caused water levels in Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake to rise above normal for more than one month, destroying 12% of the area planted in rice in Battambang Province, with notable implications for livelihoods and food security in the region [16].…”