Breeding and improvement

Big leap or small steps? How relentless rice breeding laid the foundation for modern food security

Big leap or small steps? How relentless rice breeding laid the foundation for modern food security

March 25, 2026 1510

By Glenn Concepcion  In 1966, the release of a newly bred rice variety known as IR8 changed the course...

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Engineering humanity’s most important crops for a warming planet 

Engineering humanity’s most important crops for a warming planet 

January 30, 2026 2353

By Glenn Concepcion The world’s “cereal bowl”, or the production of rice, wheat, and maize, is under the dual challenges of a surging human population and a rapidly warming climate....

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A new blueprint for crop breeding: IRRI’s OneRice Framework forges a faster, more efficient path to global food security 

A new blueprint for crop breeding: IRRI’s OneRice Framework forges a faster, more efficient path to global food security 

October 1, 2025 2939

By Sankalp Bhosale, Suresh Kadaru, and Glenn Concepcion  As the global population continues its relentless climb, projected...

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Wild ancestors may hold the key to more nutritious rice grains 

Wild ancestors may hold the key to more nutritious rice grains 

September 22, 2025 3229

By Rhowell Tiozon and Glenn Concepcion  For the nearly 9,000 years since its domestication, rice has been...

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Machine learning algorithms are helping scientists analyze and predict grain quality and nutritional content for rice breeding 

Machine learning algorithms are helping scientists analyze and predict grain quality and nutritional content for rice breeding 

August 27, 2025 3653

The technology promises to accelerate the development of rice varieties that meet consumer preferences, enhance nutritional value, and...

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Inside the global effort to defend rice from major diseases 

Inside the global effort to defend rice from major diseases 

August 18, 2025 5311

By Van Schepler-Luu & Myrtel Anne Valenzuela Rice diseases such as bacterial blight and blast are no...

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IRRI’s Connected Breeding sparks a new era in crop innovation 

IRRI’s Connected Breeding sparks a new era in crop innovation 

July 31, 2025 4053

Connected Breeding, a new breeding strategy by IRRI, is set to revolutionize rice breeding by unlocking complex...

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IRRI scientists introduce Speed Breeding 3.0 to accelerate climate-resilient crop innovation with OneCGIAR 

IRRI scientists introduce Speed Breeding 3.0 to accelerate climate-resilient crop innovation with OneCGIAR 

June 24, 2025 17667

By Pramod Gorakhanath Kabade, Uma Maheshwar Singh, Pallavi Sinha, Vikas Kumar Singh, et al.  Building on the...

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IRRI Scientists Introduces New Breeding Approach to Harness Genomic Selection in Challenging Environments

IRRI Scientists Introduces New Breeding Approach to Harness Genomic Selection in Challenging Environments

May 15, 2025 4428

by Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Margaret Catolos, Joie Ramos, Ma. Teresa Sta. Cruz, and Myrtel Valenzuela IRRI scientists are changing how rice...

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A Quarter Century Since the SUB1A Gene: New Flood-Tolerant Rice and Feeding Millions

A Quarter Century Since the SUB1A Gene: New Flood-Tolerant Rice and Feeding Millions

May 15, 2025 5457

By Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Margaret Catolos,  Joie Ramos, Ma Teresa Sta. Cruz, and Myrtel Valenzuela In a landmark study published...

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