Report of
FNCA 2009 Workshop on Mutation Breeding Project

Following the agreement at the 10th Coordinators Meeting 2009 in Tokyo, Japan, the FNCA 2009 Workshop on Mutation Breeding took place as follows;

Outline of workshop

The participants of the Workshop

Opening Session and Open Lecture

Mr. Jiang Renhua

The Workshop began with the opening remarks by Mr. Jiang Renhua, Deputy Director General of China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI), and also Ms Zhou Jinhong, Vice Director of International Cooperation Division, Deparment of Science and Technology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, delivered welcoming speech and express warm welcome to all participants. Following the main participants from China were introduced, Dr. Nakagawa gave a speech and thanked to CNRRI for its hospitality.

The open seminar was held on the first day of the workshop attended by 37 participants from universities, research institutes and members of FNCA Workshop. Seven lectures were delivered from China and Japan.

Sub-Project on "Composition or Quality in Rice"

Sub-Project on Composition or Quality in Rice was initiated in 2007 as a new Sub-Project. All member Countries participated in this Sub-Project and presented their progress reports.
The standard analysis method for amylose and protein content is Juliano (IRRI) method and Kjeldahl method, respectively. Procedure for estimation of phytic acid contents will be provided by Thailand. In mutation breeding program of aromatic rice, although the quantification of aroma should be determined, however, it is acceptable for its screening by human smelling. It is unworthy to take program for the improvement of aroma. On the other hand, it would be worthwhile to change the undesirable characteristics closely linked to aroma trait. Since the characteristics of crops are determined by genotype and environmental effects, standard check varieties are very important to draw any sound conclusion of the experimental findings.

Ion beam Irradiation to Rice Seeds

On the activity of Sub-Project on Composition or Quality in Rice, utilization of ion beam started in 2009. Workshop on Cooperation in Ion Beam Irradiation for Rice Breeding Program was held in Takasaki, January 19-21, 2009 hosted by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and Japan Atomic Enegy Agency (JAEA), and rice seeds from almost all member counties were irradiated with ion beams by TIARA, ion beam facility of JAEA.
Dr. Tanaka delivered lead speech and 5 countries presented their report. Several countries have already obtained survival and growth curves of ion beam effects, and identified the optimal doses for mutation induction. They will continue sensitivity tests and determination of the optimal doses for mutanization by ion beams. The next irradiation with ion beam will be carried out in February, 2010.

Dr. Rusli Bin Ibrahim

Sub-Project "Disease Resistance in Banana" Sub-Project on Disease Resistance in Banana started in 2005, and it was agreed by coordinators to extend another 2 years until 2010 at the 10th Coordinator Meeting. Dr. Rusli Bin Ibrhim, Project Leader of Malaysia presented progress reports for this Sub-Project. The protocol in relation to the breeding of disease resistance of banana such as i) induction of the mutation, ii) in vitro culture, iii) screening methods in the laboratory and nursery/greenhouse, and iv) evaluation in the hot spots, etc. will be published.

Sub-Project "Insect Resistance in Orchid" Sub-Project on Insect Resistance in Orchid started in 2003, and it will be finished this year after the extntion of 2 years. Dr. Zaiton Ahmad of Malaysian Nuclear Agency, presented the final report. All participants agreed this project would be successfully terminated by the development of an ion beam induced orchid mutant line, which is tolerant to insect, and will be registered as a new variety in Malaysia.   Dr. Zaiton Binti Ahmad

Cooperation of FNCA and RCA/IAEA for Mutation Breeding Projects Presentations about FNCA and RCA/IAEA were delivered and introduced from Dr. Sueo Machi, FNCACoordinator of Japan, and Dr. Liu Luxiang, TLLC of RCA/IAEA project RAS5045 respectively. They also gave suggestion about Synergy of Cooperation of FNCA and RCA for Mutation Breeding Project, and all participants discussed and agreed the three recommendation as an effective cooperation, as follows; Dr. Liu Luxiang

Dr. Sueo Machi (1) Mutual participation of selected experts (e.g., Project Leaders/Coordinators) in FNCA and RCA workshop is very beneficial. (2) Improving communication or information exchange between Experts/Project Leaders in charge of FNCA and RCA in each country is important and should be strengthened. (3) Packages of techniques on mutation screening and molecular characterization, which RCA is going to transfer to member states through training courses, should be very useful for effective implementation of FNCA project on mutation breeding of rice and banana.

Closing Session

The Minutes and Conlusion were discussed and agreed by all participants. The candidates for organizing next Workshop in 2010 are either Thailand or Bangladesh. These will be reported at the Eleventh Coordinators Meeting to be held in 2010, in Japan.

Technical visit

1.

China National Rice Research Institute Participants visited China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) and received an explanation about the facilities from Dr. Pan Xiaofang, Program Officer for International Cooperation. The CNRRI was established in 1981, and has about 800 staffs in the 500ha site. The main mission of CNRRI is to contribute to food security, nutrition improvement, environment protection, and poverty elimination in China through rice research. After that, all participants observed the artificial climatic chamber group, gene bank, state key lab of rice biology, China-IRRI Joint Research Center on Rice Quality and Nutrition (CIJRC). Members also had a field trip about "super rice" or new developing hybrid rice demonstration in National Improvement Center of CNRRI.

Rice field	Laboratory	Gene Bank

2.

Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University Secondly, participants visited Zhejiang University, and observed laboratories and gamma irradiation facility at Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Science (INAS), Zhejiang University. The INAS, founded in 1958, is one of the earliest institutes applying nuclear techniques to agriculture among institutions of higher learning in China. The main research sections of INAS are nuclear agricultural sciences, plant mutation genetics and breeding and applied biophysics. Also all participants visited Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University. There were many artistic buildings such as library, teaching buildings, modern stadium in this campus.

Gamma Irradiation Facility	Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Science (INAS)	Zijingang Campus

1) Outline of workshop

Opening Session

Open Seminar

The open seminar was held on the first day of the workshop attended by 37 participants from universities, research institutes and members of FNCA Workshop. The summary of open seminar is attached as Annex 3.

Session 2: FNCA and RCA/IAEA Activities

Dr. Sueo Machi, FNCA Coordinator of Japan, presented the activities of FNCA. Eleven on-going projects are reviewed, and vision of FNCA and reports on the 9th Ministerial Meeting and the 10th Coordinator Meeting are also presented. Dr. Liu Luxiang, TLLC of RCA/IAEA project RAS5045 presented the background and objective. The main task was application of mutation and related techniques including gamma-rays, heavy ion beams, cosmic rays, in vitro culture, molecular marker-assisted selection, utilized in different kind of crops. Twenty four new mutant varieties were officially released by the project group during the first two years from 2007 to 2008.

Session 3: Sub-Project on "Composition or Quality in Rice"

Sub-Project on Composition or Quality in Rice was initiated in 2007 as a new Sub-Project. All member Countries participated in this Sub-Project and presented their progress reports. The summaries of the country reports are attached as Annex 4.

Discussion and Summary

It was suggested that measuring methods for each quality or composition traits should be standardized, but these discussion has already been settled in the previous meeting and conducted in the project.That is, the evaluation for the content for amylose and protein is Juliano (IRRI) method and Kjeldahl method, respectively. Evaluation method of phytic acid will be informed by Thailand. On the other hand, even though quantfitation of aroma should be defined, this trait should be determined by human senses. Furtheremore the breeding objective of mutation breeding in aromatic rice, now, is not to improve the aromatic trait but to change the undesirable characteristics closely linked to the aroma trait we will not need a complicated method. Since the characteristics of crops are determined by genotype and environmental effects,, check varieties are very important. Standard varieties, IR64 for indica rice and Koshihikari for japonica rice have already utilized as the check varieties. To evaluate the relative traits for crop breeding more precisely, many check varieties should be used to the best of our ability.
For salt tolerance, IAEA will publish a document including the protocols of screening salt tolerance in plants through the RCA project RAS5045. The results of FNCA sorghum subproject conducted FY2002-2006 exhibited that some selected plants with an in vitro method by using NaCl solution were not consistently resistant in the land with high salt concentration. Final identification of the targeted salt tolerance in the saline affected soils will be needed.

Session 4: Ion beam Irradiation to Rice Seeds

On the activity of Sub-Project on Composition or Quality in Rice, utilization of ion beam started in 2009. Workshop on Cooperation in Ion Beam Irradiation for Rice Breeding Program was held in Takasaki, January 19-21, 2009 hosted by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and Japan Atomic Enegy Agency (JAEA), and rice seeds from almost all member counties were irradiated with ion beams by TIARA, ion beam facility of JAEA.
Dr. Tanaka delivered lead speech and 5 countries presented their report. Several countries have already obtained survival and growth curves of ion beam effects, and identified the optimal doses for mutation induction. They will continue sensitivity tests and determination of the optimal doses for mutanization by ion beams. The summary of the country reports is attached as Annex 4.

Session 5: Sub-Project "Disease Resistance in Banana"

Sub-Project on Disease Resistance in Banana started in 2005, and it was agreed by coordinators to extend another 2 years until 2010 at the 10th Coordinator Meeting. Dr. Rusli Bin Ibrhim, Project Leader of Malaysia presented progress reports for this Sub-Project. The summary of the project reports are attached as Annex 4.

Session 6: Sub-Project "Insect Resistance in Orchid"

Sub-Project on Insect Resistance in Orchid started in 2003, and it will be finished this year after the extntion of 2 years. Dr. Zaiton Ahmad of Malaysian Nuclear Agency, presented the final report. The summary of the project reports are attached as Annex 4. All participants agreed this project would be successfully terminated this year.

Session 7: Cooperation of FNCA and RCA for Mutation Breeding Projects

Dr. Machi and Dr. Liu gave their presentation about Synergy of Cooperation of FNCA and RCA for Mutation Breeding Project. All countries discussed the effective cooperation of FNCA and RCA, and 3 recommendations were agreed by all participants.

Closing Session

The Minutes and Conlusion were discussed and agreed by all participants. Conclusion is attached as Annex 5. This will be reported at the Eleventh Coordinators Meeting to be held in 2010, in Japan.

2) Technical visit

1. China National Rice Research Institute
Participants visited China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) and received an explanation about the facilities from Dr. Pan Xiaofang, Program Officer for International Cooperation. The CNRRI was established in 1981, and has about 800 staffs in the 500ha site. The main mission of CNRRI is to contribute to food security, nutrition improvement, environment protection, and poverty elimination in China through rice research. After that, all participants observed the artificial climatic chamber group, gene bank, state key lab of rice biology, China-IRRI Joint Research Center on Rice Quality and Nutrition (CIJRC). Members also had a field trip about "super rice" or new developing hybrid rice demonstration in National Improvement Center of CNRRI.

2. Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University
Secondly, participants visited Zhejiang University, and observed laboratories and gamma irradiation facility at Institute of Nuclear-Agricultural Science (INAS), Zhejiang University. The INAS, founded in 1958, is one of the earliest institutes applying nuclear techniques to agriculture among institutions of higher learning in China. The main research sections of INAS are nuclear agricultural sciences, plant mutation genetics and breeding and applied biophysics. Also all participants visited Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University. There were many artistic buildings such as library, teaching buildings, modern stadium in this campus.

3) Attachments

Annex 1: Program
Annex 2: List of Participants
Annex 3: Summary of Open Seminar
Annex 4: Session Summary
Annex 5: Conclusion