Australian Oryza: utility and conservation

Australian Oryza are an understudied and under-exploited genetic resource for rice improvement. Four species are indigenous: Oryza rufipogon, Oryza meridionalis, Oryza australiensis are widespread across northern Australia, whereas Oryza officinalis is known from two localities only. Molecular analysis of these wild populations is required to better define the distinctness of the taxa and the extent of any gene flow between them and rice. Limited collections of these wild populations are held in seed and DNA banks. These species have potential for domestication in some cases but also have many traits of potential value in the improvement of domesticated rice. Stress tolerance (biotic and abiotic) and grain quality characteristics in these populations may be useful

Wild Oryza for quality improvement

Rice consumers demand a wide range of attributes in the different types of rice produced in different regions. Wild Oryza species provide an extensive gene pool that could be used to breed rice varieties with desirable quality characteristics. More than 20 Oryza species are found around the tropical world in diverse environments and have a wide range of grain properties. Traits influencing grain appearance, nutritional value, functional quality (e.g., cooking characteristics), and processing performance may be sourced from wild species. The useful genes available include many controlling grain size and shape, grain color, and starch properties. Advances in genomic technology are making this genetic diversity more readily available for use in the genetic improvement of rice beyond just advancing yield