The genebank is the biggest collection of rice genetic diversity in the world. Countries from all over the world send their rice to IRRI for safekeeping, and for sharing for the common public good. The International Rice Genebank, managed by IRRI, houses over 132,000 rice accessions, including cultivated varieties, wild relatives, and related genera, making it the world’s largest rice genetic diversity collection. Countries globally contribute rice varieties to IRRI for preservation and sharing. However, traditional and wild rice species face genetic erosion due to habitat loss and the adoption of new varieties by farmers. To safeguard rice biodiversity for future crop improvement against various stresses, IRRI collaborates with national, regional, and international organizations, including the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research), as part of a global strategy for conserving rice genetic resources.
On Oct 08, 2024, Released Variety Panel (RVP) a new resource was unveiled by The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), 130 sequenced rice varieties are included in this panel. Seeds are available upon request to scientists and breeders through the International Rice Genebank (IRG), while the sequences can be accessed via the SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms)-Seek Database. IRRI’s Rice Breeding Innovations department has facilitated the release of this new set. It aims to increase the awareness and utilization of plant types and genotypes of improved rice varieties grown by rice farmers. These include types of rice that are popular in certain rice-growing countries or are more resilient to climate change effects.
The High-Density Rice Array (HDRA) and the 3,000 Rice Genomes Project (3k RGP) have helped scientists identify valuable traits, genes, and donor accessions within IRG’s germplasm collection. However, traits in modern, improved rice varieties may differ from those in these diversity panels. The Rice Varietal Panels (RVP) can bridge upstream research with practical application by providing benchmarks of beneficial traits. Since many RVP accessions are already grown by farmers, using them as benchmarks can increase the chances of research results reaching farmers’ fields.
Storing and sharing rice seed:
The International Rice Genebank preserves rice seeds in both base (-20°C, long-term) and active (2-4°C, for distribution) collections. In typical farmer storage conditions, seed viability declines rapidly, but in the genebank, seeds can remain viable for decades. Viability testing occurs every 5 years for active and every 10 years for base collections; if viability drops below 85%, fresh seeds are generated. IRRI manages the genebank under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, providing free seed samples to users as per treaty guidelines to support future conservation and crop improvement.
Different species of rice:
The species of rice conserved in the International Rice Genebank include:
- Oryza sativa or Asian rice, which is the most commonly grown and eaten rice. It probably had its origin between the Himalayas and Indochina and contains two groups of rice: indica and japonica (including temperate and tropical japonica)
- Oryza glaberrima or African rice originated in West Africa. It is not widely cultivated but has been used to breed other types of rice grown in Africa.
- Twenty-four wild species of rice that are found in Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
- Nine species from seven related genera
With access to the world’s largest rice collection, IRRI studies rice diversity by characterizing traits and genetic profiles to identify valuable genes. Through collaboration with the International Network for Genetic Evaluation of Rice (INGER), IRRI supports global exchange, evaluation, and utilization of genetic resources. All data on conserved rice are managed through an in-house information system and made publicly accessible via the IRRI Germplasm Resource Information Network-GLOBAL (IRRI GRIN-Global) website.
To access the Released Varietal Panels (RVP) and request seeds, users can view the RVP list on the Genesys platform and initiate a request by adding items to their list and submitting a request with their details. Soon, the GRIN-Global platform will offer an alternative method, allowing users to search and select RVP accessions after creating a profile. An authorized person at the requesting organization must agree to the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA), import permit, and phytosanitary certificate, with requests taking about six weeks to process. SNP data is available in the SNP-Seek Database, while phenotypic data can be found on Zenodo, an open-source repository for research data generated by IRRI interns with support from Purdue University and NSF-IRES (National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students).
