Biotechnology of Nitrogen Acquisition in Rice - Implications for Food Security

Abstract

The intensive irrigated rice farms in the lowlands of southern Asia are the world’s most important agricultural systems, covering some 79 million hectares, and accounting for approximately 70% of global rice production. While rice yields are sufficient to meet current human needs, they must increase by 60% within the next 30 years, if present projections for human population growth are correct (Ladha and Reddy 2003). Among the factors compromising the realisation of rice yield potential in the field, the supply and uptake rates of nitrogen are recognised as being among the foremost (Ladha and Reddy 2003). For instance, Horie et al. (1997) showed that the number of spikelets produced by rice ..