Virtual Booth

Rice is a staple food of Malaysia, enjoyed by 35 million citizens daily. However, the demands could not be met as the production were declining at a rate of 5% annually from 2020 until 2024. The weak and unproductive states of Malaysian rice were caused by multiple factors including vigorous climate change, soil degradation, as well as pests and diseases. To address these problems, this study utilized the acute gamma irradiation as an innovative approach to create a potential rice mutant with better agronomic traits.

Firstly, the seeds were exposed to 350 Gy of gamma irradiation for 10 minutes using a Biobeam gamma irradiator. At this level, the dose was just enough to nudge the cell activities and induced random mutation. Then, the irradiated seeds were cultivated for three generations in the rice fields, following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) mutation breeding protocol for prominent selection and elimination.

As a result, the developed rice mutants exhibited higher yield, earlier maturity, and greater resistance to pests and diseases. Most importantly, the resultant varieties are proven to be non-radioactive, classified as non-genetically modified organisms, and safe for consumption. The demand dilemma is also resolved, with gamma fulfilling its vital role.