The research conducted by of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) on Golden Rice, a type of variety of rice that can help reduce vitamin A deficiency in the country, has won the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act Best R&D Paper (Gold Award) in the basic research category during the recent 23rd National Research Symposium organized by the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bureau of Agricultural Research.
The research, marker-aided transfer of beta-carotene biosynthetic genes (Golden Rice I) into two Philippine rice varieties, showed that traits of Golden Rice could be transferred to PSB Rc82 and NSIC Rc128 in lesser time and with minimal resources through the use of DNA markers in combination with traditional breeding.
Golden Rice accumulates beta carotene, a source of vitamin A, in the grains.
Dr. Antonio A. Alfonso, project leader and the paper’s main author, said DNA markers are small segments of DNA used in tagging or marking certain genes or regions of the chromosomes.
In their study, Alfonso said the use of DNA markers helped his team in verifying whether the varieties being improved had successfully acquired the beta carotene as result of traditional breeding.
Alfonso, also director of the PhilRice-based DA-Crop Biotechnology Center, said the technique helped them in assuring that the agronomic traits, pest resistance and grain quality of the original varieties are retained.
Selected local varieties are being improved to contain beta carotene to help reduce the about 190 million children and 19 million pregnant women suffering from vitamin A deficiency in the world.
