Development of the first salt-tolerant rice cultivar through indica/indica anther culture

Seventy-nine di-haploid lines were produced in rice through anther culture of the cross of two indica breeding lines (IR5657-33-2×IR4630-22-2-5-1-3). The cross was designed to combine the high-yielding ability of IR5657-33-2 with the salinity tolerance of IR4630-22-2-5-1-3. The anther culture (AC)-derived lines were evaluated in the greenhouse, field, and salinity affected areas. Several lines showed desirable traits such as high yield, salinity tolerance, early maturity, good plant type, and resistance to pests and diseases. IR51500-AC9-7 and IR51500-AC11-1 selected from evaluations were included in the National Cooperative Trials (NCT) for saline-prone areas conducted by the Rice Varietal Improvement Group (RVIG) of the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) of the Philippines. Trials conducted from the 1990 wet season to 1994 dry season at nine sites revealed that IR51500-AC11-1 performed better than other cultivars grown in saline-prone lands. In 1995, the NSIC named IR51500-AC11-1 as PSBRc50 “Bicol” and recommended it for commercial cultivation in salt-affected rice lands. This is the first F 1 AC-derived line from an indica/indica cross to be released as a cultivar for cultivation in saline-prone areas.