2005, Volume 13, Paper 13

ISSN: 1883-5675

Economic Analysis of Breeding for Improved Cold Tolerance in Rice in Australia

Rajinder P. Singh, Tim Farrell, Robert Williams, Russell Reinke & Laurie Lewin – NSW Agriculture, Yanco Agricultural Institute, Yanco

John P. Brennan –  NSW Agriculture, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga. 

John Mullen – NSW Agriculture, Orange

Abstract

The occurrence of low night temperatures during reproductive development is one of the factors most limiting rice yields in southern Australia. Yield losses due to cold
temperature are the result of incomplete pollen formation and subsequent floret sterility. Researchers have found that in 75% of years, rice farmers suffer losses between 0.5
and 2.5 t/ha. Research is being undertaken to identify genetic materials that are cold tolerant under the local weather conditions and by using those genotypes as parent
material, develop cold tolerance varieties of rice. A yield simulation model was used to measure reduction in losses due to cold at different minimum threshold temperatures,
while the SAMBOY-Rice economic model was used to measure the costs and returns of a breeding program for cold tolerance. The results of the economic analysis reveal
that incorporating selection for cold tolerance into the breeding program would lead to significant increase in financial benefits through a reduction in losses due to cold and
an increase in yield from

Key words: Rice, cold, yield loss, breeding

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