by Christian Dohrmann Plant health is vital for both environmental and human well-being, as plants supply oxygen and food. However, rice crops face increasing threats from climate-induced stressors, pests, and diseases, all of which undermine sustainable agriculture and food security. Rice, a staple for over half the world’s population, is highly sensitive to its environment. Climate change has intensified extreme
By Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Margaret Catolos, Joie Ramos, Ma Teresa Sta. Cruz, and Myrtel Valenzuela In a landmark study published in The Plant Genome, IRRI scientists unveiled a next-generation flood-tolerant rice germplasm that outperforms current SUB1A varieties by 40–50% in submergence tolerance. This germplasm also exhibits high stagnant flooding tolerance, a trait lacking in SUB1A varieties. Floods Threaten Asia’s Rice Bowl—And SUB1A Alone Isn’t Enough
by Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Margaret Catolos, Joie Ramos, Ma. Teresa Sta. Cruz, and Myrtel Valenzuela IRRI scientists are changing how rice is bred for stress-prone areas by shifting the focus from traits to environments. Their new approach, TTE, offers a faster, more reliable path to develop climate-resilient varieties. Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are shifting the way rice is bred for
By Rowena Castillo, Benedict Jardinero and Kazuki SaitoInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Indonesian farmer looking at the recommendation provided by Layanan Konsultasi Padi (Rice Crop Manager for Indonesia) through her mobile phone. (Photographed by Jo Anne Holly Torres-Ilagan) When smallholder rice farmers open a text message on their mobile phone and see a tailored fertilizer and crop management recommendation just
In a push to promote sustainable agriculture and combat groundwater depletion in Bangladesh’s drought-prone Barind region, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a pilot project to encourage the adoption of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation practices among local farmers. The Barind area, located in the country’s northwestern region, faces chronic water scarcity due to low rainfall and
by Sharif Ahmed, Abdullah Miajy, Abdul Haque, and Humnath Bhandari In northern Bangladesh, the widespread adoption of mechanized Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) remains slow due to limited access to suitable seeding machines and lack of skilled operators. These constraints prevent farmers from fully benefiting from climate-smart technologies, especially as they face the increasing challenges from labor shortages, rising input costs,
Field observations and farmer-driven insights from 100+ farmers during two field days help shape the scaling and distribution of two promising hybrid rice varieties in Bangladesh. BHALUKA and PIRGANJ, Bangladesh (May 2025) — Two IRRI-supported field days placed farmers at the heart of hybrid rice evaluation, showcasing high-performing varieties and generating real-world insights for seed system development and scaling. Held
Participatory field evaluations with stakeholders reveal farmer-driven varietal preferences and offer strategic guidance for promoting and accelerating climate-resilient rice adoption across the value chain. MYMENSINGH, Bangladesh (April 2025) – Over 100 rice value chain actors, including farmers, seed dealers, millers, scientists, and extension officials, convened in Fulbaria, Mymensingh District to participate in a Crop Cafeteria Evaluation Event organized by