Bioseed, the hybrid seed business of DCM Shriram, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have extended their ongoing partnership regarding biotechnology research and hybrid rice development for an additional 5 years, from May 2022 to April 2027. The collaboration, initially established in 2020 (see AgbioNews Sep 22, 2020), is aimed at developing improved rice varieties with multiple tolerances for biotic and abiotic stresses. Bioseed and IRRI have several collaborative projects currently underway, including:

• Evaluation of transgenic maize events for resistance to fall armyworm.
• Evaluation of transgenic events of rice for drought and salinity tolerance and introgression of selected events in the elite parental lines of Bioseed Research Philippines Inc. rice hybrids.
• Gene editing rice for improved grain yield, drought tolerance, and leaf blight and blast resistance.
• Development, characterisation, and evaluation of transgenic lines of rice for drought and salt tolerance and enhanced nitrogen assimilation.
• Transgenic rice events evaluation for drought tolerance, nutrient utilisation, and yield improvement.