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Caption for the landscape image:

Farmers finally embrace perennial rice growing

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Scientists breeding perennial rice at the Ntaional Crops Resources Research Institute in Namulonge eplaining importance of perennial rice adoption at the trial site in Namlulonge. PHOTO/LOMINDA AFEDRARU

Rice is increasingly becoming a staple food in Uganda. However, the largest share of the rice consumed is imported but efforts are underway to increase the amount of rice produced locally to meet the demand.

Estimates from reports by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation indicate that Uganda currently produces 730,000 metric tons of Rice annually yet the consumption rate is 1-2 million tons per annum and the imports account 30%

However to curb this shortage, scientists at the National Crops Resources Research Institute have been, over the years, breeding both upland and lowland varieties for farmer adoption with the recently released variety being the regenerative variety also known as New Supper which farmers have adopted in rice growing regions across the country.

Background

According to reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, rice was introduced to Uganda in about 1904 as a milled product for consumption. Later, Indians introduced rice cultivars which were aromatic and began growing under rain fed lowland conditions.

With support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agricultural Development Project released the first upland rice variety “IRAT 112” in 1995.

Key outputs of the project were the release of three rice varieties ITA 257, ITA 325 and NERICA4 released as NARIC-1, NARIC-2 and NERICA-4, respectively. NERICA-4 is the first New Rice for Africa released in Uganda.

Based on this circumstance, Uganda initiated breeding program in 2004 with support from Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), AfricaRice and JICA. 

Since 2004, 8 upland rice varieties, 7 irrigated rice and 4 rain fed lowland rice have been released.

Some of the varieties under upland rice varieties include NamChe3, 4, 5, Nerica6 and 10 and the lowland are NARO RICE1, 2, NAMCHE1-6, OKILE, AGORO, WITA9 and KOMBOGA

Currently experts are focussed in promoting adoption of Perennial rice varieties which Naro released in 2022

Perennial Rice breeding

Dr Jimmy Lamo, a programme leader of cereals research at NaCRRI said Perennial rice are varieties of long-lived rice that are capable of re-growing season after season without reseeding

They were developed by plant geneticists at several institutions. Although these varieties are genetically distinct and are adapted for different climates and cropping systems, their lifespan is so different from other kinds of rice that they are collectively called perennial rice.

Perennial rice, like many other perennial plants, can spread by horizontal stems below or just above the surface of the soil but they also reproduce sexually by producing flowers, pollen and seeds. As with any other grain crop, it is the seeds that are harvested and eaten by humans.

Perennial rice breeding was initiated at the International Rice Research Institute in Philippines and developed at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, People's Republic of China and other institutions.

Dr Lamo and his team obtained the varieties from the International Rice Research Institute which they crossed to the wild rice variety called Oryza longistaminata which they team picked from Nigeria. It is a wild grass native to Africa with its origin from Madagascar.

The team planted the wild rice in pots at the breeding centre in NaCRRI and upon growth they kept picking its pollen which they crossed to the perennial rice variety thereby coming up with the new rice variety.

Before its release, the varieties were tested in various agro-ecological zones to ensure stability and yield performance.

Perennial rice varieties

The perennial rice varieties developed include PR107, also known as NARO Rice 1 or New Super which can be harvested from the same crop up to five years in a row. The breeding took the scientists fouryears and its commercialisation process was launched in 2022.

This was possible because of the collaboration between NARO, Yunnan University and BGI Group with second and third genomics Institutes respectively based in China.

What sets Naro Rice 1 apart is its resilience and yield, after the initial harvest it regrows, delivering more than 50 percent of the first year's yield in subsequent harvests.

This ability not only signifies a reduction in the labor and costs associated with replanting but also marks a significant step towards environmentally sustainable agriculture.

Its yielding is 6 to 7 tons per hectare in its first harvest, with subsequent harvests every two months yielding 50 percent around 2 tons.

The annual yield can reach up to 11 tons per hectare without the need for replanting. This efficiency not only benefits the environment by preserving soil integrity but also ensures a profitable venture for farmers.

It is advantage of the traditional supper variety is that its growth period is shorter (100) days than supper which takes 5 and half months to grow.

Other varieties which are perennial in nature are Naro Rice 2 also known as TOCI which matures in 95–135 days and has a yield potential of 4.9–6.5 tons per hectare. It has a good aromatic taste, a soft texture and is resistant to rice blast, rice yellow mottle virus and bacterial leaf streak. 

Others are NARO Rice 3 also known as Ayago, NARO Rice 4, also known as Oraa NARO Rice 5 also known as Achomai .

Other released varieties which are not perennial include Arize Gold 644 and Chiga-1. With a yield potential ranging from 4.9- 6.5 tons per hectare.

Their key attributes include; maturing within 95-135 days with a good aromatic taste, texture that extends and soft on cooking and non-pasty preferred by majority of women.

Unlike existing varieties, all the new varieties are aromatic and yield more by 1 tonne per hectare.

All these varieties are resistant to Rice Yellow Mottle Virus, Rice Blast and Bacterial Leaf Streak. These varieties will be most beneficial to farmers within the low land areas in Uganda.

DISEASE

The common rice diseases for all varieties include Rice Blast which is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of rice. The fungus produces spots or lesions on leaves, nodes, panicles and grains. The spots are usually elongated and pointed at each end causing damage which is often characterized by 50% of yield reduction. 

Control can be done by planting resistant varieties like NERICAs and avoiding excessive nitrogen application. Rice Yellow mottle Virus can be found in lowland rice field and shows the symptoms of stunning and yellowish leaves. 

There is no chemical which can kill this virus and the only solution is to plant tolerant varieties like WITA9 or NERICA6. Direct sowing also can reduce the damage. Brown Spot is common in soils that are poorly drained or deficient in nutrient.