Rhodora R. Aldemita
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division
Philippine Rice Research Institute<\/p>\n\n\n\n
doi.org\/10.57043\/transnastphl.1998.5889<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The increasing population rate (2.5% per year growth rate) and shrinking area devoted to rice production (-1.8% per year decline) in the Philippines pose a big challenge to plant breeders to expedite genetic improvement in rice. Genetic engineering is a powerful and novel means. complementing the traditional methods in improving plant characters by introducing foreign genetic material or by enhancing the expression of endogenous genes. Improved varieties are developed in a shorter time, repeat able results are obtained, and there is an immense source of genetic variability. Monocots were not transformable using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a natural transformation vector for dicots. Hence, other methods were developed such as polyethylene glycomediated DNA and electroporation-mediated transformation of protoplasts, and the particle bombardment of tissues. The recent utilization of the Agrobacterium system in transforming rice paved the way to a more efficient. less costly, and more reliable method. In rice the development of these transformation systems was reflective of the scientific knowledge of the era. The development of each gene delivery technology conducted in rice. the advantages and disadvantages, and the important contributions in rice improvement based on experimental results and published data will be discussed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nKeywords<\/h5>\n\n\n