Oryza glaberrima

About Oryza glaberrima

Oryza glaberrima is the scientific name for African rice, a cultivated grain distinct from its better known cousin Asian rice (Oryza sativa). African rice was independently domesticated ~3000 years ago in the Niger River Delta from its still extant progenitor, Oryza barthii. While lacking many of the agronomic and quality traits found in Asian rice, Oryza glaberrima is significant for its resistance to many pests and diseases and for its better tolerance of drought and infertile soils. Interspecific crosses between African and Asian rice have produced cultivars with improved yield and quality traits, and adopted by many African countries to meet the growing need for rice as a staple food. From a scientific perspective the genome of O. glaberrima will provide insight into the genetic basis of domestication and other traits by finding commonalities and differences with Oryza sativa. Similar to Asian rice, African rice carries the AA-type genome, having 12 chromosomes and an estimated size of 358 Mbp.

Project funding: National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program (#082224) awarded to R. Wing, S. Rounsley and Y. Yu.

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