Genetic Improvement of Rice in Nigeria for Enhanced Yeild and Grain Quality - A Review

The development of rice with high yield and grain quality is one of the main goals of rice breeding programs all over the world. In Nigeria, Rice breeders have been successful in improving the crop for different characteristics, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. An example of rice variety developed for early maturity, high grain yield and quality is FARO 44(Sipi-692033), for tolerance to iron toxicity is FARO 52(WITA 4), for tolerance to African Rice Gall Midge is UPIA 2 (IWA 2) amongst others. A number of breeding methods such as Conventional Hybridization, Recurrent Selection, and Mutation breeding and Varietal Introduction from other countries can be used to create variability in rice to make improvement possible. Different research institutes in Nigeria, in collaboration with international NGOs have been intensifying efforts to improve the crop for different characteristics particularly for grain quality and high yield, adaptable to the country’s varying ecology. The development and introduction of tools of biotechnology into plant breeding have enhanced the breeding capacity of breeders, but these tools have not been fully integrated into rice breeding programs in the country. This paper highlights different breeding methods that can be used to develop new rice varieties, modify or improve already existing ones. Recommendations are also given in the direction of future research for enhancement of rice in Nigeria.