Evaluating gene flow between a wild and domesticated rice

Rice is one of the most agriculturally and economically important crops globally. Wild rice species have been used in breeding programs to improve disease resistance, drought-related traits, phosphorus deficiency tolerance, earliness, salinity tolerance, and more. For this reason, conservation of wild rice species is very important. Oryza glumaepatula is the only diploid rice species in South America and is a source of genetic diversity to breed rice for this region. Previous literature (Akimoto et al, 1998; Fuchs et al, 2016) has speculated gene flow is occurring between Oryza glumaepatula populations and domesticated rice grown nearby. We utilize whole genome sequencing to determine if gene flow is occurring and to what extent.

水稻是全球范围内农业与经济价值最为突出的作物之一。野生稻物种已被广泛应用于水稻育种项目，用以改良作物的抗病性、抗旱相关性状、耐低磷特性、早熟性及耐盐性等诸多优良农艺性状。正因如此，野生稻资源的保护工作至关重要。南美野生稻（Oryza glumaepatula）是南美洲唯一的二倍体水稻物种，同时也是该区域水稻育种可利用的核心遗传多样性来源。既往研究文献（Akimoto等，1998；Fuchs等，2016）曾推测，南美野生稻种群与周边种植的栽培稻之间存在基因流（gene flow）现象。本研究通过全基因组测序（whole genome sequencing）技术，旨在探明南美野生稻与栽培稻之间是否发生基因流及其发生程度。