Multi-genotype varieties reduce rice diseases through enhanced genetic diversity and show stability and adaptability in the field

Abstract

Abstract Rice is a crucial food crop worldwide. The genetic diversity in rice germplasm indicates its promising potential utilization in disease and pest control. To explore the relationship between genetic diversity and disease resistance in rice plants, multi-genotype rice varieties developed from multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population lines were used here to analyze the correlation between disease occurrence and genetic diversity, as well as for field monitoring of their disease occurrences and yields. We found that genetic diversity and disease resistance of the multi-genotype varieties tested in this study were superior to those of their component lines and mono-genotype varieties, and the incidence of rice blast disease decreased as the genetic diversity of multi-genotype rice varieties increased. We further conducted field trials using these multi-genotype varieties for three years in different rice-planting areas. The results showed that multi-genotype varieties exhibited good disease resistance and high-yielding potential. Thus, proper use of multi-genotype varieties characterized by rich genetic diversity is a promising approach to improve disease resistance of rice plants in agricultural production systems and is of great significance for ensuring food security and achieving sustainable agricultural development.

Keywords

• Rice
• Multi-genotype variety
• Genetic diversity
• Disease resistance
• Yield