Doctor of Philosophy / A rice grain is composed of 90% starch, and amylose contributes to up 30% of the starch with the remainder as amylopectin. The structure of starch largely defines the quality of rice, yet the methods to characterise starch have not been reviewed recently. This thesis begins by using the simplest form of starch, debranched amylopectin, to detail and apply the principles of molecular weight theory using Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) to illustrate that without correct calibration the molecular weight distribution of starch has been underestimated. In contrast to amylopectin, amylose is difficult to isolate from flour without causing irrevocable damage, is unstable in an aqueous system and is believed to be impossible to debranch with isoamylase. Here an amylose-rich fraction was extracted directly from flour using hot water to avoid the structural–damaging isolation techniques used previously. The ability of isoamylase to debranch the amylose was shown through traditional methods of controlled enzyme degradation of the starch, ensuring that association of chains did not hinder access to the enzyme activation site, and through the contrast of 1H NMR spectra before and after the debranching event. Further, it was shown that 20% of carbohydrate was not recoverable from the SEC, and the unrecoverable carbohydrate is likely to be of high molecular weight and with long chains. High temperatures during the grain filling period are known to impede on the rice quality of one classification of non-waxy varieties. That hypothesis was rigorously examined by growing rice from a wide genetic background in three temperature regimes, followed by analysis of amylose at a functional, structural and synthesis level. From that phenotypic data, the rice varieties could be divided into three distinct groups – two of poorer quality in an increasingly warmer climate. Candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified, and a mechanism proposed, to explain the phenotypes. Linking a phenotype to a SNP allows the opportunity for wide scale screening of varieties to predict the quality of rice in an increasing warmer environment. Rice quality has the potential to change with elevated carbon dioxide levels, both alone and with increased temperature. Here, the quality traits of varieties grown in four combinations of temperature and carbon dioxide levels were assessed. The negative impact of temperature on grain quality was unable to be overcome by an increase in carbon dioxide in all but one quality. Chalk is the undesirable opaque belly of a grain that defines the market price of the grain. In elevated carbon dioxide, the proportion of grains containing a high amount of chalk per grain which will increase the market value of the grain and may help to alleviate the burden of climate change on rice farmers.

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted from 2003 to 2006 at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Beaumont and commercial rice fields throughout the Texas Rice Belt with the objectives of characterizing the nature of rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (Fabricius), damage to rice, Oryza sativa L., and developing visual sampling methods and sequential sampling plans. During 2005 and 2006, in greenhouse and field experiments, rice plants were caged and infested with adult or nymph O. pugnax during the heading, milk or soft dough stage. No differences were found in the weight of rough, brown or milled rice infested with O. pugnax during different stages. More peck was found in grain from plants infested during milk and soft dough than heading. Adult O. pugnax caused more peck than nymphs in all stages. In field experiments conducted during 2005 and 2006, single rice panicles were caged at the onset of heading and infested with one male or female O. pugnax for 48 h during the heading, milk, soft or hard dough stage. No differences were found in the weight of rough rice per panicle infested with O. pugnax. No differences were detected in percentage peck caused by male and female O. pugnax. Infestation during all stages of panicle development produced significantly more peck than no infestation In greenhouse experiments conducted during 2004 and 2005, rice plants at the pre-heading, heading, milk and soft dough stages were caged together and infested with male and female O. pugnax. Insects were observed for a period of five days and their preferences recorded. More insects were observed on milk and soft dough than on pre-heading or heading plants.Commercial rice fields throughout the Texas Rice Belt were sampled during 2003 and 2004 and visual sampling methods were compared to the sweep net method of sampling. Analysis of covariance showed that one sweep of the “long stick” or two sweeps of the “sweep stick” compared favorably to 10 sweep net sweeps. Analyses revealed that visual sampling using the long stick is more cost-reliable than sweep net sampling for O. pugnax in Texas rice fields.

Carbon flow into developing ovaries has been reported to be important in seed retention and seed size. Invertase, which cleaves sucrose into glucose and fructose has been shown to be important in rapidly expanding tissue, such as early root growth or during tiller expansion. The manipulation of invertase activity with over-the-top applications of agrochemicals may prevent the detrimental effects of abiotic stress by altering the source/sink relationship. These experiments examined economically important tissues in rice production during critical developmental stages under abiotic stress. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted under normal growing conditions using local management practices. Plants were treated with exogenous chemicals that affect the activity of invertase during the early-grain fill stage on field grown plants. Other plants were exposed to elevated nighttime temperature of 30°C for 4 d using a free-air, infrared heating device in the greenhouse. Rice was also treated at mid- to late-grain fill stage of the main crop to identify the impact of the exogenous chemicals on developing ratoon tiller buds. The activity of soluble acid invertase (SAI), concentrations of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and starch were determined in penultimate leaves, panicles, and main-crop stem segments during ratoon tiller bud expansion, using the enzyme-coupled stoichiometric production of NADH measured spectrophotometrically at 340nm. The results suggest SAI, carbohydrates, and agronomic characters are influenced by exogenous chemicals at the applied rates. The thidiazuron treatment caused an unidentified stress event. The stress was confirmed by increased hexose concentration and the proportion of hexose concentration to sucrose concentration. This stress reduced the main-crop grain yield, but not the ratoon yield or total grain yield. An interaction between the ammonium molybdate treatment and high nighttime temperature was seen in the panicle. The ranked difference was reduced by the high nighttime temperature from the ambient nighttime temperature for the SAI activity, TSC content, starch content, and TNC content. The tested chemicals and rates are not appropriate for commercial rice production because the effect of the exogenous chemicals do not appear to consistently aid rice plants to counteract the detrimental effects of abiotic stress.

To cope with the impact of rice import on rice industry due to Taiwan¡¦s joining in the WTO, Agriculture and Food Agency of Agriculture Council, Executive Yuan has drawn support from farmer groups or food dealers with marketing capabilities as well as rice farmers and people engaged in seedling raising, rice processing and rice milling to set up ¡§special rice production and marketing areas¡¨ since 2005. At these areas, integrative production and marketing mechanism and branding business model are used to build a rice production and marketing system that owns competitive advantages in both domestic sales and export sales, so as to increase farmers¡¦ income. With in-depth interview and secondary data as sources, this paper uses qualitative analysis to discuss how the Fang Rong rice factory in Houpi Township of Tainan County copes with changes in external environment, and investigate its innovative transformation for the purpose of sustainable development, as well as the reasons, processes and performances of the transformation. Research results are respectively described as follows: 1. Sources of innovation: external and internal factors. The former includes Taiwan¡¦s joining in the WTO, government policy promotion, non-profit organization promotion and changes in consumers¡¦ behaviors; the latter includes senior supervisors and normal employees¡¦ awakening in the rice factory as well as farmers¡¦ arousal. 2. Innovation mode: product innovation, process innovation, method innovation and marketing innovation. ¡]1¡^Product innovation: includes breed improvement, line extension and technological innovation. ¡]2¡^Process innovation: implements source management, contract farming and SOP of rice production process, highlights securitization, rationalization and ecologization, and achieves scientific management. ¡]3¡^Method innovation: this case introduces competitive agriculture, social values and profits sharing into enterprise business ideas. ¡]4¡^Marketing innovation: combines rice industry with leisure experience. The target market changes from B2B into B2C. This case values customer relationship management, constructs diversified products, brand and packaging, exploits diversified markets and marketing channels, utilizes story marketing, and continuously gets good achievements in competitions to enhance brand awareness. 3. Benefits of innovative transformation: the innovative transformation benefits of this case include economic benefits, ecological and environmental benefits, socio-cultural benefits, quality improvement, customers¡¦ high satisfaction, high brand awareness, horizontal alliances, technological changes, as well as staff and farmers¡¦ growth. Key words: rice industry, Innovative transformation, special rice production and marketing area

Carbon flow into developing ovaries has been reported to be important in seed retention and seed size. Invertase, which cleaves sucrose into glucose and fructose has been shown to be important in rapidly expanding tissue, such as early root growth or during tiller expansion. The manipulation of invertase activity with over-the-top applications of agrochemicals may prevent the detrimental effects of abiotic stress by altering the source/sink relationship. These experiments examined economically important tissues in rice production during critical developmental stages under abiotic stress. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted under normal growing conditions using local management practices. Plants were treated with exogenous chemicals that affect the activity of invertase during the early-grain fill stage on field grown plants. Other plants were exposed to elevated nighttime temperature of 30°C for 4 d using a free-air, infrared heating device in the greenhouse. Rice was also treated at mid- to late-grain fill stage of the main crop to identify the impact of the exogenous chemicals on developing ratoon tiller buds. The activity of soluble acid invertase (SAI), concentrations of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and starch were determined in penultimate leaves, panicles, and main-crop stem segments during ratoon tiller bud expansion, using the enzyme-coupled stoichiometric production of NADH measured spectrophotometrically at 340nm. The results suggest SAI, carbohydrates, and agronomic characters are influenced by exogenous chemicals at the applied rates. The thidiazuron treatment caused an unidentified stress event. The stress was confirmed by increased hexose concentration and the proportion of hexose concentration to sucrose concentration. This stress reduced the main-crop grain yield, but not the ratoon yield or total grain yield. An interaction between the ammonium molybdate treatment and high nighttime temperature was seen in the panicle. The ranked difference was reduced by the high nighttime temperature from the ambient nighttime temperature for the SAI activity, TSC content, starch content, and TNC content. The tested chemicals and rates are not appropriate for commercial rice production because the effect of the exogenous chemicals do not appear to consistently aid rice plants to counteract the detrimental effects of abiotic stress.

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted from 2003 to 2006 at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Beaumont and commercial rice fields throughout the Texas Rice Belt with the objectives of characterizing the nature of rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (Fabricius), damage to rice, Oryza sativa L., and developing visual sampling methods and sequential sampling plans. During 2005 and 2006, in greenhouse and field experiments, rice plants were caged and infested with adult or nymph O. pugnax during the heading, milk or soft dough stage. No differences were found in the weight of rough, brown or milled rice infested with O. pugnax during different stages. More peck was found in grain from plants infested during milk and soft dough than heading. Adult O. pugnax caused more peck than nymphs in all stages. In field experiments conducted during 2005 and 2006, single rice panicles were caged at the onset of heading and infested with one male or female O. pugnax for 48 h during the heading, milk, soft or hard dough stage. No differences were found in the weight of rough rice per panicle infested with O. pugnax. No differences were detected in percentage peck caused by male and female O. pugnax. Infestation during all stages of panicle development produced significantly more peck than no infestation In greenhouse experiments conducted during 2004 and 2005, rice plants at the pre-heading, heading, milk and soft dough stages were caged together and infested with male and female O. pugnax. Insects were observed for a period of five days and their preferences recorded. More insects were observed on milk and soft dough than on pre-heading or heading plants.Commercial rice fields throughout the Texas Rice Belt were sampled during 2003 and 2004 and visual sampling methods were compared to the sweep net method of sampling. Analysis of covariance showed that one sweep of the “long stick” or two sweeps of the “sweep stick” compared favorably to 10 sweep net sweeps. Analyses revealed that visual sampling using the long stick is more cost-reliable than sweep net sampling for O. pugnax in Texas rice fields.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-183). Also available on the Internet.

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Pest status of the rice stem-borers, Diopsis longicornis and D. apicalis was not well known in the Republic of Guinee. / In the present study, adult and immature populations of both species were monitored under various local cultural practices, i.e., planting methods (direct and transplanted), different planting dates and seasons (wet and dry). As previously observed in other West African countries, D. apicalis did occasional damage to rice in Guinee. However, contrary to findings elsewhere, D. longicornis was not an important pest of Guinean rice, infesting 4% of stems over the five seasons studied. / Regulators affecting population size and behaviour of D. longicornis were determined, focusing on factors controlling the fly's quiescent period in aggregation sites during the dry season, and the insect's movement to and from these refugia. Availability of cultivated and wild rice was found to interrupt or prevent quiescence of D. longicornis. Abiotic factors, (relative humidity, rainfall and photoperiod) influenced time of dispersal of D. longicornis.

Rice production in Sub-Sahara Africa is hampered by drought stress, low farmer adoption of improved varieties, un-adapted germplasm, problems of crossability between species and problems of efficient emasculation. This study was initiated to: (1) determine farmer preferences for rice varieties and production practices, (2) identify drought tolerant parental lines for use in interspecific crosses, (3) determine crossability between different rice species, (4) identify drought tolerant interspecific segregants from crosses, and (5) study the efficacy of ethrel and gibberrilic acid (GA3) as chemical hybridising agents. Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) was conducted in Sikasso region in the month of September 2005 to determine farmer preferences for varieties and production constraints. A total of 125 rice farmers from 10 villages participated. This study found that farmer preferences for rice traits did not coincide with the breeders' objectives and trait preferences varied across ecologies. In upland and lowland rice ecologies, the most preferred characteristic was short duration. In the lowland tall plants was most preferred and short duration trait ranked second. Long duration ranked as the second most preferred trait after yield in the irrigated rice ecology. The estimated grain yield reduction was 60% due to drought stress from all ecologies. Sixteen genotypes including seven Oryza glaberrima Steud, six interspecific (0. saliva x 0. glaberrima) inbred genotypes and two improved 0. saliva L. subsp Gaponica) genotypes, with OS 6, as drought tolerant check were screened for drought tolerance at the vegetative stage during the dry seasons of 2004 and 2005 at Samanko research station, in Mali. Most of the genotypes could be regarded as exhibiting drought tolerance and avoidance mechanisms for most of the morpho-physiological characters under study. High selection index was observed for WAB 450-I-B-P-103-HB in the two season experiments. Drought stress tolerance (little leaf drying) was significantly correlated with leaf rolling, leaf area index, and plant height. Fast drought recovery was significantly correlated with drought tolerance, tiller number and leaf area index. Effects of genotypes, environment and their interactions were significant for tiller number, root dry weight and relative leaf water content. The most stable genotype was RAM 3 for tiller number and relative leaf water content. Thirteen genotypes were selected on the basis of these traits for rice hybridisation. A factorial arrangement involving three levels of gametocide concentrations and five application stages of the female rice parent was undertaken for each gametocide ethrel and GA3 for two seasons. Per cent empty spikelets and male sterility increased with concentration of ethrel. Male sterility induction of 41.5% and 42.8% at 2000 ppm was achieved in 2004 and 2005, respectively, while at 4000 ppm male sterility induction was 40.5 % and 46.1% in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The best application stage of ethrel that induced highest male sterility was at P4 (panicle primordium differentiation + spikelet primordium differentiation) of 46.6% in 2004 and 49.2% at PI (panicle primordium differentiation) in 2005. There was no measurement on GA3 for sterility due to lodging. Total male sterility was not achieved therefore, these gametocides could not be recommended for use as hybridising agents. Crossability was studied in four groups: group A (0. glaberrima x 0. saliva), group B (0. glaberrima x Interspecific), group C (Interspecific x 0. saliva) and group D (Interspecifics x Interspecific). High percent seed set was obtained in group D of 19.08% and group A had 9.29%, in group B the seed set was 11.26% and group Chad 6.62 %. The three best combiners as female parents based on percentage seed set were CG 14 (0.glaberrima), WAB 450-IBP-I05-HB and WAB450-I-B-P-I03-HB (interspecifics), and for male parents were NERICA 3, NERICA 2 (interspecifics) and WAB 375-B-9-H3-2 (0. sativa). Genetic components of variance and heritability estimates were studied in F3 and F4 generation progenies from North Carolina II design mating scheme. General combining ability (GCA), manly due to female and specific combining ability (SCA) were significant for tiller number, plant height and specific leaf dry weight indicating that additive and non-additive genetic effects controlled these traits. Heritability estimates for drought tolerance and leaf rolling were highly significant for all the populations examined, ranging from 0.32 to 0.72 and 0.22 to 0.56, respectively. Drought tolerance expressed as little leaf drying was significantly associated with less leaf rolling, larger leaf area index, and taller plants. Some genotypes and progenies such as WBK 39-B-B-B, WBK 30-B-B and WAB 450-I-B-P-I03-HB were identified as being drought tolerant with the ability to recover quickly from drought stress. There was a strong desire for tall plants and short duration rice in upland and lowland ecologies, while high yield was preferred in irrigated ecology. Therefore, the best breeding strategy would be ecosystem breeding targeting each of the ecologies. Screening for secondary traits that have been identified to be significantly associated with rice grain yield could be used for direct selection for grain yield under drought stressed conditions. Progenies identified, as drought tolerant would be considered for use as source germplasm in breeding that target Sikasso region and any other similar ecologies. This study therefore suggested that participatory research approaches that involve all stakeholders in rice production would be valuable in identifying and generating drought tolerant and adoptable rice cultivars in the tropics of Africa with considerable impact on food security. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.