Novel genes for quality in rice: A review

Rice is rich in germplasm resources, including naturally occurring and artificially modified germplasms. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) maintained 110 000 rice germplasm accessions, which is the world’s largest and most diverse collection. In India, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur is maintaining 23,250 rice germplasm resources which is the largest collection of active germplasm in India. Acceptance of new rice genotypes by producers and consumers hinges not only on their potential for higher yield but recent emphasis has also been on premium-value genotypes that have the ability to satisfy consumer preferences for grain quality. This review article provides insights into how to link grain quality attributes and sensory perception to support breeding superior rice varieties. Recent advances in quality profiling and omics technologies have provided efficient approaches to identify the key genes and biochemical markers involved in rice quality traits. Emphasis has been given to the upcoming area of holistic understanding of grain quality and attributes derived from sensory evaluation to leverage integrative gene discovery strategies that enable breeding programs to efficiently tap the huge genetic diversity in rice for novel genes that enhance rice quality.