Current Research Fields
1.Breeding research on rice lines used for sake
To meet the requirement of the rice multi-purpose policy and rotation system, our lab aims to introduce and to improve varieties for sake brewing. Due to numerous sake tasting projects, Taiwan has not yet established a complete tasting standard for sake. Therefore, we will first use marker-assisted backcross breeding to improve the low yield of introduced sake rice varieties caused by early earing and to maintain their good brewing characteristics. We hope to breed suitable sake rice varieties for our farmers. In addition, we conduct QTL mapping of traits related to brewing sake (including ratio and area of shinpaku, grain size, and protein content) to understand its genetic mechanism.
2.Breeding of male sterility rice strain for two-line hybrid
Hybrid rice (F1) is a potential breeding strategy for using heterosis to increase yield and stress tolerance. However, the research on hybrid Japonica rice is rare. Therefore, in the research, we imported male sterility traits, which can be used for two-line hybrid, from indica rice to good japonica rice varieties, and we study the genetic mechanism affecting male sterility traits. To breed high-yield and high-quality varieties, we can use combining ability to analysis the selected male sterility japonica rice strain. In this research, we also breed multiple male sterility indica strain for use in cultivating indica hybrids.
3.Breeding of two-line hybrid waxy sorghum lines for brewing
Waxy sorghum has a special flavor and its F1 has high yield potential. Therefore, our laboratory introduced two-line hybrid male sterility lines for purification and evaluation to make good male sterility glutinous line and male fertility glutinous line as parents for breeding hybrid sorghum varieties.
4.Improvement of early-maturing glutinous indica type rice for processing
To meet the requirement of rice multi-purpose policy and crop rotation system, we used backcross recombinant lines selection. The individuals will be backcrossed only twice before inbred-progeny selection. Furthermore, we use marker-assisted foreground (target traits), genetic background selection and important agronomic traits to select phenotype. This breeding method can transfer traits to local indica varieties. Not only can maintain most of the genetic background of indica varieties (including early-maturity), it improved crop type and yield and other important traits. In this project, we recommended 3 early maturing glutinous indica rice line. In addition, we used molecular markers to analyze their genetic background (82.1%、83.3% and 86.0%, respectively) and expected they could fit rotation system and processing needs.
5.Improvement of Chalkiness Characters of Rice Grain
Tainan No. 13 has many excellent characteristics, including early maturing, well tolerance to cold stress, resistant to lodging, and high yielding. In addition, it is resistant to rice blast and brown planthoppers. However, the grain appearance and eating quality of Tainan No. 13 are affected by its high chalkiness percentage of rice grain. In this study, 4 SSR markers related to chalkiness and 2 SSR markers related to eating quality will be used to transfer favor genes from a variety- Koshihikari to Tainan No. 13 through MAB method. We selected 6 excellent lines to evaluate the important agronomic traits. According to the evaluation results, we selected 3 lines with early maturity, high yield, low chalkiness, good taste and taro aroma. One ot the 3 lines was named as Tainan No.19 (TN19).