Stress-Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia

Vol. 5 Nos. 3-4 Aug-Dec 2012

M.H. Dar, S. Singh, N.W. Zaidi, and S. Shukla

rought is more complex than other abiotic stresses. It can occur at any point during the season and for any length of time, causing heavy crop losses. IRRI, in collaboration with national programs in India and other countries in South Asia, developed a range of lines with different maturity groups by conventional breeding. One such line, IR74371-70-1-1CRR-1, showed a consistently good performance under rainfed directseeded upland and transplanted lowland conditions in India,

Whats inside...

...p. 3 Annual meeting of the Eastern Indian Rainfed Lowland Shuttle Breeding Network (EIRLSBN) completed...p. 4 IRRI DG meets with Indias Honorable Minister of Agriculture...p. 4 Ensuring food security in a changing climate: additional harvests of shortduration rice in the aus season using rainwater for reduced cost...p. 5

...p. 7 Africa breeder is guest at researchers lunch...p. 7 Participatory varietal selection of stress-tolerant rice varieties in submergence-prone areas of Lakhimpur District, Assam, India...p. 8 Nepal recognizes three IRRI scientists...p. 9

Bangladesh, and Nepal. In India, it was recommended for cultivation in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, and for transplanted conditions in Tamil Nadu. This line was released and notified in October 2010 with the name Sahbhagi Dhan (SD) by the Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station, Hazaribagh, although prerelease seed multiplication and dissemination have been undertaken ever since 2009. During its first evaluation in farmers fields in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP), when seed was provided through NGOs such as Grameen Development Services (GDS) and Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG), a female farmer, Meera Devi from Mohanjyoth Village, Maharajgung, who cultivated SD for the first time, harvested 4.5 tons/ha in 105 days with more straw than the earlier variety to feed her cattle. Her fellow farmer, Prabhavati, harvested 5 t/ha, more than a 1 t/ha increase from her earlier variety. Both women also acknowledged its better grain and cooking quality than NDR 97, which is one of the most popular varieties in that area. Realizing the potential of this variety, GDS decided to scale up its seed multiplication through its cooperative Lehera APCL (Agricultural Producers Company Ltd.). Demand for the seed also rose exponentially because of requests from farmers in neighboring villages. During the last two years, many farmers have switched over to SD, resulting in almost total replacement

of NDR 97 in those villages. Farmers benefits are multiple: in addition to higher yield, this variety is changing the cropping pattern in many areas where farmers can grow three cropsrice and early peas followed by late-sown wheat varieties, thus increasing their annual production and income. Some farmers prefer potato because it fetches a good market price in March, followed by cowpea, chillies, or mungbean. Things did not stop here. Seed was distributed to many states through various channels, including the minikit distribution of the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) program of the government of India. Various promotional activities took place across the states, which inspired the KVK Saran in Bihar, with the help of the NICRA (National Initiative on Climate-Resilient Agriculture) project to distribute SD seed to farmers in the 2010 kharif season. Narvadeshwar Giri, a progressive farmer from Aphaur Village, affirmed that he planted SD on 5 kathas (a local unit) and Rajendra Mahsuri on his adjacent plot of 1 acre. Both varieties were cultivated with good management practices, which he calls SRI (the System of Rice Intensification). Giri explained how he benefited by growing SD, with numbers to back him up. He got an average yield of 5 t/ha from a neighboring variety in 140 days and 4 t/ha from SD in 110 days. However, he did not need to irrigate 5 ha of his field with SD,
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Year-end Address

by Abdelbagi M. Ismail Overall Project Leader, STRASA

The year 2012 witnessed exciting developments for STRASA, in both South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. This year is particularly important for us, as it marks the 5th year of the projected 10-year period of the project. These first 5 years have been exceedingly successful, with STRASA establishing a strong network of partners in both South Asia and Africa. Numerous stresstolerant varieties were developed and over 20 of them were commercialized in the past 4 years, reaching over 4 million farmers, at a pace implying STRASA will not fall short of reaching its ultimate goal of 20 million farmers by 2017. We had a good share of media coverage this year, reaching over 140 in Bangladesh alone. Several elements have been critical to the success and visibility of STRASA. A marketable product, the choice of varieties popular among rainfed lowland farmers for deploying SUB1 with such consistent effects in different backgrounds and environments was the first triumph, followed by additional varieties with discernible yield advantages over existing ones, especially when conditions were less favorable, with incidences of drought or excess water and salt. Sabhagi dhan was the front-runner this year where rice production in most areas was severely restricted by delays in monsoon and shortages of rain (see page 1). The joy expressed by farmers in these areas is gratifying; in one of our visits in Odisha last October, David Bergvinson inquired, Why did we let these farmers wait so long? And Achim Dobermann saw it as the best impact assessment upon his recent visit to a similar
Sahbhagi dhan... from page 1

group of farmers in UP. Other success factors include a far-reaching network of partners along the research to adoption continuum, exceeding 450 in South Asia alone; an effective awareness program targeting appropriate partners, policymakers, and farmers; and strong policy support and additional resources made available by international donors and national programs, primarily to supplement STRASA activities in producing and distributing goodquality seeds and to strengthen national seed systems. To all of them, we are particularly grateful. The strong backing and support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, especially by David Bergvinson over the past 5 years, in being part of the team, contributed tremendously to such success. David now took over another responsibility in the Foundation but promised to keep up with STRASA and use it as his first case study in the new initiative he is leading to develop a new field of Digital Revolution in Agriculture. We wholeheartedly welcome Gary Atlin as the new senior program officer of the Foundation responsible for STRASA. Gary is not new to rice, and his previous work on drought contributed considerably to STRASA success in this major component of the project. We are excited to see him back in rice again and look forward to team up with him. Gary spent a few days in India visiting STRASA sites last November, and then at IRRI; he held discussions with the STRASA team and IRRI management. The expansion of STRASA activities means challenges: more resources are in demand and more partners are being added. We were privileged to have additional investments from governments, donors, and development agencies to support STRASA activities over the last few years, and we do

hope this trend will continue to keep STRASA in the spotlight and as the flagship project, both for IRRI and for the Foundation. Nothing is more fulfilling than having Bill Gates praising STRASA in several of his talks and as the best example where all pieces come together in his address at IFAD on 23 February. Numerous collaborative and awareness visits were organized this year. Of those, 33 scientists and senior officials visited IRRI for various purposes. The recent visit of the secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, government of India, is featured in this issue (see page 3). The most recent visits of Baboucarr Manneh and Venuprasad Ramiah of AfricaRice Center coincided with the visit of Gary Atlin to IRRI; we had stimulating discussions covering various strategic issues for STRASA, and what is needed to keep up the tempo, in both product development and the delivery pipeline. Several significant workshops were also organized during this year, including an awareness workshop at IRRI involving 10 senior officials from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and a Leadership Workshop for Asian and African Women held at IRRI. Several women from STRASA countries were sponsored. Several events are lined up for 2013, including the mid-term external review of STRASA, holding annual planning and review meetings in March-April, and putting together elements for building Phase III of the project. Sincere gratitude goes to my colleagues at IRRI and AfricaRice and to all our partners, advisors, and support staff; only with your selfless efforts and commitments did STRASA make it this far, but we are just half way! I wish all of you and your families a marvelous festival season and a healthy and prosperous 2013.

which saved him a significant amount of money (each irrigation cost 1,700

STRASA-IRRI/India

rupees/ha). He roughly estimated saving 30% in production cost for SD compared with Rajendra Mahsuri. Also, he was able to get a mid-crop of fenugreek before wheat, which gave him additional benefits. Another farmer, Babban Singh, claimed to have harvested 5 t/ha in his field. Many other farmers who are currently using hybrids wanted to switch to SD in the next season if seed were available for them.

During our visit to Nalanda District in Bihar, we talked with Deputy Director for Agriculture Mr. Sudama Mahto, who mentioned the performance of SD in his area, where it was distributed by the NFSM. He excitedly mentioned how he had seen this crop yielding well under severe drought when fields were showing prominent cracks. Large-scale demonstrations of SD are being carried out by different states. Moreover, STRASA, under NFSM-IRRI collaboration, has carried out 1,700-ha cluster demonstrations
Continued on next page...

Sahbhagi dhan... from page 2

in drought-prone areas of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Farmers from all the states have shown an overwhelming response for this variety. Different state governments are carrying out approx. 8,000ha cluster demonstrations under the Bringing the Green Revolution to East India (BGREI) program. In Mayurbhunj District of Odisha, where tribal farmers grow long-duration varieties and always face threats, they cultivated SD in 2012 and harvested almost double their usual yield with less expenditures than for the existing varieties. This project has helped in the penetration of this valuable variety in these areas where farmers could have never imagined being successful. Farmers in Mayurbhunj generally leave land fallow after rice and they look for work in other areas as

laborers. The early harvest of this variety has added to the number of days they can work and therefore they can earn more to support their families. One farmer who had cultivated SD wants to grow early brinjal (eggplant) so that he can obtain a good market price. During a field day organized by a local NGO, DDA, Mr. Sudharshan Mohanty expressed his happiness about the performance of the variety and its demonstrations in the area. He mentioned to the farmers the unavailability of such varieties in the past. Raygada, another droughtprone district where a 100-ha demonstration of SD was carried out in 2012, considered SD as a blessing to its farmers as it outyielded earlier varieties such as Konark, which has given only half the yield of SD. Similar results have been obtained

from other districts in Odisha and West Bengal. Different characteristics have contributed to the success and versatility of this variety. Its performance under both drought and favorable conditions has been great, which has not only encouraged farmers to consider this variety but also encouraged seed producers to come forward. Seed multiplication was immense immediately after its release. The Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station in Hazaribagh, the center from which this variety was released, obtained a record breeder seed production of 19 tons under the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture. This amount of seed can be used to produce more than 50,000 tons of certified seed in the next two years, which will sustainably reach thousands of farmers.

Indian Agriculture Secretary visits IRRI, signs MOA for stronger ties Paula Bianca Ferrer and Maria Rowena Baltazar

on. Shri Ashish Bahuguna, secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, government of India, visited IRRI on 8-11 November 2012. He was accompanied by Ms. Reena Saha, director for crops, and Mr. R.K. Trivedi, deputy commissioner for seed quality control in the Ministry. IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler and Deputy Director General Secretary Bahuguna (left) after signing for Communications and Partnerships the MoA with IRRI DG Robert Zeigler. Bruce Tolentino, along with several now things are changing, and Indian scientists, made short presentations institutions are involved in technology about ongoing activities of IRRI in development at all levels. We have India and discussed potential areas good scientists, and good platforms to for future collaboration. "Working with take this partnership forward." India for the last 12 years and also its The secretarys visit to IRRI was an research institutions, I noticed that India initiative of STRASA and the project is quite progressive in the improvement facilitated this. Dr. Ismail and STRASAin the capacity of its research South Asia Regional Coordinator institutions, said Dr. Abdelbagi Dr. Uma Shankar Singh briefed Ismail, overall leader of the Stresshim about the STRASA project. The Tolerant Rice for Africa and South impact of the project in developing Asia (STRASA) project. In the past, we drought-, salt-, and submergenceused to develop technologies, but right tolerant varietiesand their proper

managementwas also discussed during the meeting with Dr. Ismail, Dr. Singh, and other IRRI scientists. On 10 November 2012, Hon. Shri Ashish Bahuguna signed a memorandum of agreement with IRRI officials (Dr. Robert Zeigler, Dr. Achim Dobermann, Dr. Bruce Tolentino, Dr. Abdelbagi Ismail, and Dr. Uma Shankar Singh) to further strengthen future collaborative undertakings. Other activities by the secretary and his party during their 2-day stay at IRRI were a visit to the IRRI farm and an ecological intensification site, greenhouse and field experiments, C4 rice plant growth facilities, Riceworld Museum, the Training Center, the International Rice Genebank, the Cyber village project in a nearby village, and several IRRI laboratories.
IRRI-Philippines/CPS 3

Annual meeting of the Eastern Indian Rainfed Lowland Shuttle Breeding Network (EIRLSBN) completed
Bertrand Collard he annual selection meeting of the Eastern Indian Rainfed Lowland Shuttle Breeding Network (EIRLSBN) was held at the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack, India, on 1617 November. During these meetings, breeders from all centers of the network participated in joint selection of segregating material for use at their own stations and evaluated fixed lines that are suitable for each region. Typically, hundreds of single-plant selections were made and the meeting also provided participants with opportunities to spend valuable time interacting and discussing matters. This activity was coordinated by Dr. J.N. Reddy (CRRI), the network coordinator at CRRI, Cuttack, Odisha. Participants were Dr. K.K. Sharma, Assam Agricultural University, North Lakhimpur, Assam; Dr. S.K. Chetia, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Titabar, Assam; Drs. P.K. Singh and S.P. Singh, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bihar; Drs. S.R. Das and D.N. Bastia, Odisha University of
IRRI-Philippines/BCollard Drs. Bert Collard and Yoichiro Kato (2nd and 3rd from left, respectively) of IRRI with some of the participants at the EIRLSBN meeting during a field visit

Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar; Dr. Indira Dana, Rice Research Station, Chinsurah, West Bengal; and Drs. Bert Collard (IRRI coordinator of EIRLSBN) and Yoichi Kato (physiologist) from IRRI. In 2012, three participants from Meghalaya (a northeastern state in between Assam and Bangladesh) were also invited to participate in

the selection activity (Ms. Rita Bahun Mylliem Umlong, Ms. Baphiralin Kharshiing, and Mr. Batseng W. Momin) as part of collaborative activities between IRRI and the state of Meghalaya. It is hoped that Meghalaya will be formally included in the EIRLSBN in the near future, as the state establishes its rice breeding program.

IRRI DG meets with Indias Honorable Minister of Agriculture Uma Shankar Singh and Tara Chand Dhoundiyal
uring his visit to India in September, IRRI Director General Dr. Robert S. Zeigler had an audience with the Indian governments Honorable Minister of Agriculture Mr. Sharad Pawar. In their meeting on 12 September 2012, Dr. Zeigler apprised the minister of recent developments in rice research at IRRI and the support extended to the government of Assam during a recent flood in the state. Dr. Zeigler extended an invitation to Mr. Pawar to visit IRRI in the near future. Mr.
4

Pawar appreciated IRRIs contributions in India and accepted the invitation to visit IRRI. Dr. Zeigler was accompanied by Dr. J.K. Ladha, Dr. U.S. Singh, and Mr. M.S. Rao during this meeting. Dr. S. Ayyappan, secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and director general, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, was also present during the meeting. On 11 September 2012, Dr. Zeigler met with Secretary of Agriculture Mr. Ashish Bahuguna and other senior officials, including

additional secretaries and joint secretaries of the ministry. Dr. Zeigler shared his views on various aspects related to rice. He also provided a summary of recent developments in rice research and technologies that are likely to be available to farmers in the near future. Mr. Bahuguna appreciated the IRRI-India partnership and acknowledged the contributions of IRRI in India, particularly the great success of stress-tolerant rice varieties, namely, Swarna-Sub1, in farmers
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Ensuring food security in a changing climate: additional harvests of short-duration rice in the aus season using rainwater for reduced cost M.G. Neogi
Normally, farmers transplant boro rice seedlings in late December to January, and harvest in late April to early May. Farmers generally transplant aman rice seedlings on the same land in late July to early August, and harvest in late November to early December. So, the land is left fallow for more than 2 months between the boro and aman seasons. Farmers can use this fallow period by introducing aus cultivation as an additional rice production technology and can obtain three harvests (boro, aus, and aman) in the same year instead of only two (boro and aman), and thus ensure higher income for better livelihood. If farmers are able to harvest aus as an additional rice crop in early August, farmers will get rice, and agricultural day-laborers will get work and straw to feed their cattle. Immediately after harvesting aus, farmers can cultivate the aman crop. Through aus rice technology, it will be easier to motivate farmers to cultivate other crops such as wheat, maize, mustard, pulses, etc., in the boro season, especially in highlands instead of boro rice, as this will ensure two rice crops (aus and aman) in a calendar year. If boro in particular is replaced with other crops without affecting total rice production, a significant amount of nonrenewable energy will be saved. In partnership with the USAIDsupported IRRI-SRSPDS project, a recent innovation has been piloted in farmers fields, showing that the production of short-duration rice between boro and aman seasons, referred to as aus rice, can produce around 1 million tons more rice from a half million hectares of land in southern Bangladesh. If this production technology is extended throughout the
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USAID-STRASA\IRRI-Bangladesh

Wastage of rainwater

ood insecurity is a fundamental feature of poverty in Bangladesh. Though there has been impressive agricultural and socioeconomic progress in the recent past, feeding the increasing population remains a major concern. The increasing population has also made many people subject to marginalization and landlessness. In a subsistence rural economy like Bangladeshs, poverty and food insecurity are directly linked to land productivity. Some 70% of the rural poor are landless. Per capita land availability today stands at 0.09 ha and is decreasing with population growth and expanding urbanization. Even for those who have access to land, agricultural production systems are not adequately sufficient to attain food security on a sustainable basis for various reasons, including poor agricultural technologies and a lack of improved seeds, seedlings, modern production techniques, irrigation, marketing, and storage facilities. Frequent natural disasters also reduce

or destroy the scarce land resources of the poor, thus increasing their indebtedness and taking them deeper into poverty traps. The people of the southern region have to fight against all kinds of natural disasters, such as floods, drought, increasing salt, etc., making them the most vulnerable to food insecurity. Late floods being experienced lately in Bangladesh are believed to be caused by climate change. Because of these late floods, the aman rice crop (monsoon rice) is often destroyed and the farmers can no longer replant the crop. People face untold miseries when they lose their harvest. In order to ensure adequate food to feed these populations, ways to increase food production are tapped. Short-duration rice cultivation in the aus season (immediately after the harvest of boro rice in late April or early May) as additional rice production technology may be a blessing for southern Bangladesh.

Ensuring food... from page 5

country, it is possible to produce more than 6 million tons of additional rice from about 3 million hectares of land. The varieties tested for suitability for the aus season are BRRI dhan56, BRRI dhan57, BINA dhan-8, BR26, BRRI dhan27, BRRI dhan48, CR dhan 40, Ciherang-Sub1, IR64-Sub1, Pariza, and Nerika. Upon the success of these adaptive trials on short-duration rice varieties in farmers fields in the aus season, it may be possible to develop an alternative cropping pattern or technology of three crops a year. Most of these varieties are now acceptable to farmers in terms of their relatively shorter duration and higher yields compared with other local short-duration rice varieties. As most of these varieties ripen before late floods, the harvest is also secure. Aus rice cultivation is a traditional cultivation technology in Bangladesh, but, due to the introduction of highyielding varieties (HYVs) of rice in the boro season using groundwater or surface-water irrigation, the aus is now almost extinct. Out of all these

USAID-STRASA\IRRI-Bangladesh

tested varieties, Pariza requires 95100 days from sowing seeds to harvest, while BINA dhan-8 and CR dhan 40 require 105110 days and remaining varieties require 110118 days. However, if 20-dayold seedlings are transplanted, Pariza can be harvested in just 7580 days, while BINA dhan-8 and CR dhan 40 can be harvested after 8590 days and others will be harvested

within 100 days of transplanting. Per hectare yield of Pariza can be 33.5 tons, and 3.54 tons for the remaining varieties. These rice varieties also attract farmers because of their lower production costs and the medium-fine grain of some varieties, which secures better market value. In this way, farmers can manage three harvests instead of two in a calendar year on the same piece of land.

IRRI DG meets... from page 4

Hon. Minister of Agriculture Mr. Sharad Pawar talks with IRRI DG Robert Zeigler. 6

STRASA\IRRI-India

fields. Dr. Zeigler also addressed various queries from senior officials of the ministry. Dr. Zeigler also met with Dr. S. Ayyappan on 12 September and discussed with him ICAR-IRRI collaborative programs. Dr. Rita Sharma, secretary, National Advisory Council, and IRRI Board member, hosted a dinner in honor of Dr. Zeigler. The secretary of agriculture and joint secretary (seed) from the Ministry of Agriculture and the director general and deputy director general (crops) from ICAR joined the dinner.

Highlights on submergence research under STRASA Maria Rowena M. Baltazar presented in IRRI Seminar
milestone in the development of flood-tolerant rice varieties was the discovery and characterization of SUB1, a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) conferring protection for 10 to 14 days of complete submergence, commonly caused by flash floods. Dr. Collard detailed that the SUB1 gene was subsequently incorporated into many rice megavarieties such as Swarna and IR64 using an approach called marker-assisted backcrossing during the last 10 years. Because the essential properties of the original varieties were retained (such as yield and quality), these new Sub1 varieties have been, and continue to be, widely adopted by farmers. For current breeding activities, Dr. Collard reported that new Sub1 varieties are being developed, for both South and Southeast Asian countries for Nepal, Sabitri-Sub1; for the Philippines, PSBRc82-Sub1 in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute; and for Pakistan, IR64-Sub1 and Super Basmati-Sub1. Work is also being done on improving disease resistance, particularly for bacterial leaf blight, and on developing shorter duration versions of Swarna-Sub1, and others with photoperiod sensitivity, as well as developing promising elite lines with SUB1 and tolerance of stagnant flooding. Dr. Collard capped his presentation with proposed activities such as building new rainfed varieties with multiple stress tolerance and getting the SUB1 gene to become a default gene for all breeding programs. Considerable further work is required, however, to develop improved varieties for flood-prone environments and to disseminate and upscale/outscale them. an opportunity for discussion with senior scientists on a range of topics that include science and career paths (http://irri-news.blogspot. com/2012/11/africarice-breeder-isguest-in.html).
IRRI/Philippines-CPS 7

urrent developments on submergence research, which is the focus of objective 2 of the STRASA project, were presented in one of the weekly IRRI Thursday Seminars (on 13 September 2012). Dr. Bertrand Collard, IRRI plant breeder and STRASA project objective 2 leader, gave the seminar. He explained the previous work in developing Sub1 varieties, for which the major

AfricaRice breeder is guest at researchers lunch

he monthly IRRI Young Researchers Lunch welcomed Baboucarr Manneh, irrigated rice breeder and coordinator of the STRASA Project in AfricaRice, as its guest for November. Lunch attendees (Changrong Ye, Nurul Hidayatun, Yam Kanta Gaihre, Samir Ebson Topno, Tahir Awan, and Zilhas Ahmed Jewel) were curious about Dr. Manneh's career and ricegrowing conditions in Africa. Dr. Manneh cited the widespread problem of cold-temperature stress in Africa, a surprising discovery for the group, and explained that overcoming this particular stress could greatly impact the size of land area on which rice can be grown in Africa. The Young Researchers Lunch is

a monthly meeting for nationally recruited staff and scientists at IRRI who are in the early stages of their career. Its aim is to provide

Dr. Manneh (center) with IRRI participants

Participatory varietal selection of stress-tolerant rice varieties in submergence-prone areas of Lakhimpur M. Maibangsa, K.K. Sharma, D. Chowdhury, S. Maibangsa, T. Paris, District, Assam, India A. Cueno, and D. Villanueva
akhimpur and Dhemaji districts are known for their preponderance of flood-prone areas in Assam and rice is life for more than 90% of the people but rice production and productivity are greatly affected because of the occurrence of flash flood, waterlogging, and intermittent drought in these districts. Stresstolerant rice varieties are needed urgently for farmers to harvest a good and stable yield over time and locations. The implementation of the STRASA project in 2010-11 in Lakhimpur District was expected to boost rice production, especially in flood-prone areas. In addition, it will help ensure food and livelihood security for the poor farmers living in such areas. Under the project, 17 varieties developed in different research institutes for the flood-prone ecology were evaluated in the district during 2012. Two mother trials were conducted with 17 varieties in Dakhinkolabali Village located about 25 km away from the research station along with baby trials in 17 farmers fields in the same village. One mother

trial was conducted in a flash-floodaffected area and another in a waterlogged field. Another mother trial was conducted with the same varieties on the research farm of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, North Lakhimpur, under shallow lowland conditions. Before transplanting of rice in a farmers field, a 1-day training of both participating and nonparticipating farmers was conducted. Altogether, 39 farmers, including 13 women, took part in the training program. The farmers were apprised of the objective of the program under STRASA and the varieties given to the participating farmers. Thereafter, training on scientific cultivation and management of rice was also provided. In addition, the identification of various pests and diseases along with proper treatment was also demonstrated to them. These farmers were also apprised of the different methods of integrated pest and disease management in rice. Two preference analyses were conducted in the mother trial. One was conducted in Dakhinkolabali
STRASA-RARS/India

Village and the other at the research farm. Preference analysis was conducted for the mother trial at the maturity stage before harvesting of the crop in Dakhinkolabali Village on 3 November 2012. Altogether, 36 farmers took part in the preference analysis, of which 33% were female farmers. The socioeconomic profile of these cooperators in participatory varietal selection (PVS) showed that more than 87% of the farmers were marginal and small farmers and the rest (13%) were large farmers. The average age of male farmers was 39 years while that of females was 36 years, indicating that women were younger than men by an average of 3 years. Similarly, the study showed that men are more educated than women, with an average of 9 years of schooling for men and 5 years for women. Male farmers were more experienced in farming, by 3 years, than women. The result of preference analysis in Dakhinkolabali Village showed that variety TTB 281-9-2-1 is the most preferred by the farmers, with a high preference score of 0.10 because the plant is tall with a strong culm and it has medium slender grains, uniform and compact panicles, more grains (300) per panicle, fewer leaves but more panicles, and no lodging. The next preferred variety was TTB 283-3-38-2, with a preference score of 0.071. Among the 17 varieties evaluated, IR69485-10-2-B-1-TTB 86-1-4 and IR73728-TTB-3-1 were the least preferred by the farmers, with a negative preference score of 0.075 and 0.054, respectively. The preference analysis of the mother trial at the research farm
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Preparatory varietal... from previous page

under shallow lowland conditions was conducted on 23 November 2012. The analysis revealed that varieties BR11-Sub1 and IR6948510-2-B-1-TTB 86-1-4 were the most preferred by the farmers, with a high preference score of 0.092 and 0.067, respectively. This is due to their medium height with strong culm, medium size, filled grains, and fewer leaves but more grains per panicle, and the panicles are uniform. Swarna-Sub1 and Jalashree were the least preferred varieties by the farmers, with a negative preference score of 0.050. These two varieties were least preferred because they

are short, panicle initiation is not uniform, they are susceptible to pests and diseases and to rat damage, the panicles are short with fewer grains, and are susceptible to lodging, and the grains are bold and colored, with chaffiness. The two preference analyses under different submergence conditions revealed that the varieties performed differently in each situation, that is, shallow lowland area and waterlogging area. In waterlogging area, variety IR69485-10-2-B-1-TTB 86-1-4 was the most preferred by the farmers while it was the least preferred in shallow lowland area.

The participants making a tally of the preference analysis results

Nepal recognizes three IRRI scientists

hree IRRI staff were awarded plaques of appreciation by the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) during the workshop Enhancing womens livelihoods in ricebased farming systems, held at Hotel Annapurna in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 4-6 November 2012. Thelma Paris, senior scientist (socioeconomics) and gender specialist, was recognized for her contributions to the capacity building of women scientists, researchers, and farmers of Nepal as well as to research and development (R&D) in rice and rice-based cropping systems at the grass-roots level. Uma Shankar Singh, senior scientist and South Asia regional project coordinator of STRASA, was cited for his contributions to the dissemination of stress-tolerant rice, particularly submergence-tolerant varieties, and for capacity building of Nepalese scientists. Julian Lapitan, senior manager of National Program Relations, was acknowledged for his contributions to and support of establishing the IRRI Country Office in Nepal, for collaboration in rice and rice-

based cropping systems, and for development of Nepal's Rice Knowledge Bank. The awards were presented by Dil Bahadur Gurung, NARC executive director. The workshop was attended by 20 women from Nepal, Bangladesh, and India and was conducted to (1) provide opportunities for women engaged in research, development,

and extension to acquire and use their technical knowledge in rice production, postharvest, seed management, and seed health to enhance the livelihoods of poor women farmers in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal; (2) develop an action plan for addressing the technology needs of women in production, seed management, and seed health by their institutions; and (3) develop a cadre of women leaders who can
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Three IRRI scientists, holding plaques of recognition (L-R): Julian Lapitan, Thelma Paris, and Uma Shankar Singh, with NARC ED Dil Bahadur Gurung 9

IRRI/Nepal

STRASA at 2012: A look back through photos

Annual planning and evaluation meetings...

Sierra Leone, West Africa, 22-26 February

Ghana, West Africa, 22-26 February

Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, India, 11-13 April

Spectra Convention Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 16-17 April

Field visits...

Field day in Madagascar, Africa, March

Salt-tolerant variety seeds distributed to farmers through IRRI-NFSM collaboration

Sahbhagi dhan in a field in Gorakhpur (top photo) and harvesting Swarna-sub1 during Chief Minister of Bihars visit (right). 10

Swarna-sub1 in fields of West Bengal

Trainings...

Rice breeding course at AfricaRice in Senegal

Three African scientists train at IRRI Headquarters, Philippines

STRASA-sponsored visits to IRRI Headquarters...

Several participants from South Asia were sponsored by the project (photo: IRRI-CPS) Indian Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, and party, 8-10 November

Key government officials of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal for an awareness and consultation workshop, 23-25 May 11

Nepal recognizes... from page 9

address the technology and livelihood needs of grass-roots women engaged in rice-based farming systems. Resource persons for the workshop were Dr. Paris, Dr. Singh, and Mr. Lapitan; Sudhanshu Singh, postdoctoral fellow (IFAD-EC Drought Project, IRRI-India); P.K. Singh, associate professor and nodal officer, Mega Seed Program of Banaras Hindu University, India; Karuna Vishnawat, professor of plant pathology and site coordinator, All-India Coordinated Project on Seeds, GPUAT, Pantnagar, India; Devendra Gauchan, chief of the Socioeconomic Division of NARC; and Mirza Islam, principal scientific officer and head, Plant Breeding Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture. The workshop participants shared experiences in working with women farmers through participatory varietal selection (PVS) for stress-tolerant rice varieties, community seed banks, small-scale seed businesses, and other training activities for womens groups. Three country proposals were presented and discussed at the end of the workshop, highlighting their action plans for strengthening mainstreaming efforts in addressing the technology and training needs of women at the grass roots, in collaboration with IRRI. The workshop was supported by IFAD-EC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and USAID (http://irri-news. blogspot.com/2012/11/nepal-recognizes-work-of-threeirri.html).

PRODUCTION TEAM THIS ISSUE

Contributors
Bertrand Collard, IRRI, Philippines D. Chowdhury, RARS-Assam University, India Amelia Cueno, IRRI, Philippines Manzoor H. Dar, IRRI-STRASA, India Tara Chand Dhoundiyal, IRRI-STRASA, India Paula Bianca Ferrer, IRRI, Philippines Mercydi Maibangsa and S. Maibangsa, RARS-Assam University, India M.G. Neogi, STRASA-USAID, Bangladesh Thelma Paris, IRRI, Philippines K.K. Sharma, RARS-Assam University, India S. Shukla, IRRI-NFSM, India Sudanshu Singh, IRRI-IFAD, India Uma Shankar Singh, IRRI-STRASA, India Donald Villanueva, IRRI, Philippines Najam Waris Zaidi, IRRI-STRASA, India

STRASA in the News

Flood tolerant paddy farming becomes popular among farmers, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), 8 December 2012 Submerged flood tolerant paddy plant growing well, The New Nation-Bangladesh, 29 October 2012 Drought-tolerant paddy grows well in Gaibandha, Daily Sun-Bangladesh, 24 September 2012 Salt-tolerant rice in a changing climate, Daily SunBangladesh, 19 September 2012

Content/editorial advisers
Abdelbagi Ismail, STRASA overall coordinator Baboucarr Manneh, SSA coordinator, AfricaRice Uma Shankar Singh, South Asia coordinator, IRRI-India

Editor
Bill Hardy, IRRI-CPS

Editorial staff

Priscilla Grace Caas, IRRI-CPS

Writer/graphic design and layout STRASA is funded by the

Maria Rowena M. Baltazar, STRASA/IRRI-Philippines

Issue coordination and circulation

Krystle Anne M. Ambayec-Dino, STRASA/IRRI-Philippines For comments, suggestions, and submissions, please send them to Dr. Abdelbagi M. Ismail at a.ismail@irri.org

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Visit our Web site at http://strasa.org/

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