Marker-Assisted Selection for Disease Resistance in Rice: A Molecular Breeding Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22638259Keywords:
marker-assisted selection, rice, bacterial blight, blast resistance, gene pyramidingAbstract
Background: Bacterial blight, blast and tungro remain major constraints on rice yield, and cloning of the underlying resistance
genes has enabled DNA marker-based selection as an alternative to slow, environment-dependent phenotypic screening.
Objective: To synthesise published evidence on marker development, gene pyramiding strategies and breeding outcomes for
disease-resistant rice. Methods: Narrative review of marker-assisted selection (MAS) and molecular breeding studies for bacterial
blight (Xa/xa), blast (Pi) and tungro resistance in rice, identified via PubMed, Google Scholar and Crossref, with each reference
individually verified. Findings: Cloned genes including Xa21, xa5, xa13, Xa27, Pi9, Pi-ta, Pib and Pi5 have yielded gene-based and
flanking markers that support foreground selection, while microsatellite-based background selection accelerates recovery of
recurrent-parent genome during backcrossing; published pyramided lines recovered 91-96% of recurrent-parent genome and
combined two to ten resistance genes/QTLs with improved field resistance and retained agronomic quality. Conclusions:
MAS-based gene pyramiding has repeatedly converted elite but disease-susceptible rice varieties into broad-spectrum-resistant
counterparts, and genomic selection now offers a route to breeding for resistances that are not governed by single major genes.
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