Erneeza Mohd Hata

Abstract The global food security crisis highlights the urgent need to improve rice yield and quality. Oryza rufipogon, the wild progenitor of cultivated rice, offers valuable genetic diversity, yet its genome remains underexplored. We conducted whole-genome resequencing (WGS) of 144 O. rufipogon accessions from 13 countries, generating ~400 GB of data using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform.

Abstract Bacterial panicle blight (BPB) disease is a dreadful disease in rice-producing countries. Burkholderia glumae, a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, and flagellated bacterium was identified as the primary culprit for BPB disease. In 2019, the disease was reported in 18 countries, and to date, it has been spotted in 26 countries. Rice yield has been reduced by up to 75% worldwide due to this disease. Interestingly, the biocontrol strategy offers a promising alternative to manage BPB disease.