Breeding salt tolerant rice varieties for production in the Mekong Delta is
highly helpful to adapt to the increase of salinity intrusion in this region
due to the climate chance. From this demand, Vietnamese researchers
conducted a study using Pokkali, a highly salt-tolerant rice variety as the
donor of the salt tolerance gene, which is transferred to the two rice
varieties possessing the high yield and good grain quality by the
backcrossing method.

As a result, the BC3F3 lines were selected, including 16 lines of the cross
combination, OM231/Pokkali and 20 lines of the cross combination,
OM231/Pokkali for evaluating the salinity tolerance ability in the solution
medium containing salt (NaCl) at the concentration of 4%; and at the same
time, for identifying the presence of the salt tolerance gene in these lines
by SSR marker analysis, using the primer RM1267.

Based on the results, 10 salt tolerant lines were identified, of which 2
lines, namely, D4 and D11 from OM231/Pokkali, and three lines, namely, D22,
D24 and D33 from OM238/Pokkali possessed good agronomic traits and grain
quality with low amylose contents (<20%) in particular. These lines will be
advanced for consecutive selections to develop the salt tolerant varieties
with a potential of application in production.

[www.tapchikhoahocnongnghiep.vn]