Intelligent Design for Rice Germplasm

An intelligent design for integrating sequence-based information, along with additional layers of genetic, genomic, and phenotypic data, will help scientists explore the biological significance of sequence diversity. Understanding this diversity will transform the conventional concept of a gene bank from a warehouse where seeds are maintained but evolutionarily frozen in time, to a vibrant research and discovery arena. Here, the germplasm of diverse materials is actively oriented and directed by gene bank scientists. These advancements will provide tools and insights to develop a smart climate change system, breathing new life into the scientific culture of gene banks. This transformation shifts gene banking from a mundane effort to store seeds in a cold room to an intellectually challenging, scientifically rigorous, and internationally competitive area of research. This shift will attract visionary young scientists to produce new rice lines adaptable to every facet of climate change, thereby facilitating sustainable agriculture.