UKMRC-8

BRIEF TECHNOLOGY

UKMRC-8 is a new rice variety produced through advanced backcross quantitative trait loci strategy between a wild rice species, Oryza rufipogon and a cultivated rice variety Oryza sativa subspecies indica cv MR219. UKMRC-8 has high yield, high submergence tolerance, good resistance to blast disease and high milling recovery

INSPIRATION OF THE INVENTION

This variety was introduced to increase rice yield and as an alternative variety to existing varieties in Malaysia.

PROBLEM STATEMENT & CURRENT ISSUES

The yield and quality of paddy mainly depend on genotype, environmental conditions and agronomic practices. Abiotic stresses, such as unpredictable rainfall patterns leading to drought and submergence and salinity of the soil, can strongly reduce crop performance with crop yield losses ranging from 50% to 70%. Flooding causes submergence and damage rice crops. Besides, in Malaysia the land with suitable soil is limited for rice cultivation. The land usage must be optimized by planting paddy varieties with high yield and good rice quality.

INVENTIVENESS  & NOVELTY

  • Moderate resistance to blast disease
  • Submergence tolerance
  • High yield
  • Intermediate plant height
  • Slightly early maturity 

USEFULNESS & APPLICATION

Paddy variety with high yield preferred by farmers. This can be achieved with improved traits of UKMRC-8 and good agronomic practices.

IMPACT OF THE PRODUCT

  • New Intellectual Property (NPV) with Registration Number PBR0031
  • Provide more varieties for farmers to choose. 
  • Help to increase Malaysia’s self sufficiency level (SSL) target for rice production.
  • Safeguard the country’s food security, while reducing its dependency on imported rice.

MARKET POTENTIAL 

The Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (MAFI) is raising Malaysia’s self-sufficient level (SSL) target for rice production to 75% by 2025. Malaysia’s rice consumption has been increasing and expected to continue rising. The total rice production can be increased through high yielding varieties. Certified seeds of UKMRC-2 was approved in April 2018. It has been distributed to rice farmers in Malaysia mainly by MadaCorp, Pertama Padi, Felcra and Persatuan Peladang Kawasan Lahar Bubu since October 2019.

TRL :  9

Project Leader : Prof. Dr. Wickneswari Ratnam FASc 

Co-Researcher : Encik Abdullah Md Zain (MARDI)

Dept./Fac./Inst : Department of Biological  Sciences & Biotechnology / Faculty of Science and Technology, UKM

Expertise : Plant Genetics and Biotechnology

Related Technologies

UKMRC-2

UKMRC-2 is a new rice variety produced through advanced backcross quantitative trait loci strategy between a wild rice species, Oryza rufipogon and a cultivated rice variety Oryza sativa subspecies indica cv MR219. UKMRC-2 has high yield, high submergence tolerance, good resistance to blast disease and high milling recovery.

UKMRC-9 Primera Rice

UKMRC-9 was developed through advanced backcross breeding using Oryza rufipogon as the donor parent and Oryza sativa subspecies indica cv MR219 as the recipient recurrent parent. Favourable wild alleles from O. rufipogon were successfully transferred  into MR219 through marker-assisted selection. UKMRC-9 was one of the advanced breeding lines with high yield, blast resistance, low glycemic index, high fibre and red pericarp.