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.

水稻（*Oryza sativa* L.）生产对于保障印度尼西亚的粮食安全至关重要，而现代水稻品种的推广应用显著提升了单产水平。自绿色革命以来，印度尼西亚已培育出超过300个适配不同种植区域的水稻品种，涵盖灌溉低地、雨养低地、旱地以及沼泽地等生境。对上述品种的持续改良，可应对气候变化带来的日益严峻的挑战。育种项目聚焦于产量潜力、生育期、抗虫性及稻米品质等关键性状。1965年至2024年的监测数据显示，稻米单产持续提升：灌溉区域的年均单产增幅为0.0647吨/公顷，旱地为0.0664吨/公顷；而沼泽稻的遗传增益并不显著。印度尼西亚水稻品种的动态更迭，与同期褐飞虱（*Nilaparvata lugens* (Stål)）的暴发密切相关。由于育种项目中广泛以IR64作为亲本，印度尼西亚水稻品种的遗传多样性较为狭窄。近二十年来，Ciherang与Inpari 32这两个品种得到了广泛推广应用；然而，农户对新品种的吸纳速度缓慢，往往需要五年以上的时间，这成为水稻种植技术升级的一大障碍。为在日益严峻的种植环境中提升未来水稻单产，亟需利用更广泛的遗传背景资源，并采用精准育种、快速育种等现代育种技术，以保障水稻生产的可持续性。