Marker-Assisted Selection for Pyramiding Disease and Insect Resistance Genes in Rice

Blast(Magnaporthe grisea),bacterial blight(Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae),brown planthopper(Nilaparvata lugens) and white-backed planthopper(Sogatella furcifera) are major diseases and pests of rice.Utilization of rice varieties carrying resistance genes is one of the most economical,effective,and environment-friendly measures for the management of diseases and pests.The molecular markers,chromosome localization and the donor varieties of the identified disease/insect resistance genes of rice were summarized,and recent progress on molecular mapping of the resistance genes and on pyramiding different disease/insect resistance genes in rice by marker-assisted selection was reviewed.In addition,the strategy for developing better disease/insect resistant varieties was discussed.