Genetic improvement from 50 years of rice breeding in Indonesia

Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) production is crucial for ensuring food security in Indonesia, with the adoption of modern rice cultivars significantly enhancing productivity. Since the Green Revolution, the country has developed over 300 rice varieties suited to diverse regions, such as irrigated lowlands, rainfed lowlands, uplands, and swampy land. Continuous improvement of these varieties addresses the evolving challenges resulting from climate change. Breeding programs focus on key traits, including yield potential, maturity, pest resistance, and grain quality. Data from 1965 to 2024 reveal a consistent increase in grain yields, averaging 0.0647 t ha⁻¹ in irrigated areas and 0.0664 t ha⁻¹ in uplands, and the genetic gain of swamp rice was not significant. The dynamic change in rice variety in Indonesia is related to the appearance of brown planthopper (<i>Nilaparvata lugens</i> (Stål)) incidences during the time. Narrow genetic diversity of Indonesian rice varieties is also identified due to the reliance on the use of IR64 as the parent in breeding programs. Ciherang and Inpari 32 have seen widespread adoption over the last two decades; however, farmers’ slow uptake of new varieties often extends over 5 years, indicating a hurdle in the advancement of rice cultivation. To enhance future rice productivity in increasingly challenging environments, it is imperative to leverage broader genetic backgrounds and employ modern breeding techniques, such as precision and speed breeding, to ensure the sustainability of rice production.