Phosphorus efficiency in lowland rice cultivars (1996-99)

Prof. E. Fossard, Institute of Plant Science ETHZ, 8092 Zürich
Mr. O. Huguenin-Elie, IRRI, Los Banos, Laguna, The Philippines

Goal
To develop integrated stategies for sustainable rice production under the constraints of low phosphorus availability and to rationalize the phosphorus resources utilization by enhancing the efficiency of phosphorus use and cycling in the rice ecosystem.

Objectives

• To explore the genetic diversity for phosphorus efficiency inside the rice species (Oryza sativa L.).
• To investigate the mechanisms by which lowland rice acquire soil phosphorus in order to improve agronomic management, and to assess the plant properties which may be best exploited by breeders in developing more phosphorus efficient cultivars.
• To investigate lowland rice response to low phosphorus availability.
• To evaluate the importance of phosphorus acquisition mechanisms with regard to the variation in phosphorus efficiency of lowland rice.