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A study was undertaken to investigate the variability among lowland rice cultivars and the mode of gene action of aluminum (Al) toxicity tolerance in rice. Pregerminated seeds were grown in a nutrient solution containing 30 ppm Al and in normal nutrient solution, and relative root length (RRL) was determined at the 14-day-old stage to characterize genotypes for tolerance. Sixty-two traditional rice cultivars grown on lowland acid sulfate soil areas of Asia and West Africa were tested. Tolerant varieties ‘Azucena’, ‘IRAT104’, and ‘Moroberekan’, moderately sensitive ‘IR29’ and ‘IR43’, and sensitive ‘IR45’ and ‘IR1552’ were used to investigate the genetics of tolerance by diallel analysis. Of the 62 cultivars tested, only 3 were found to be sensitive to A l toxicity. Among the tolerant cultivars identified, 11 (‘Siyam Kuning’, ‘Gudabang Putih’, ‘Siyam’, ‘Lemo’, ‘Khao Daeng’, ‘Siyamhalus’, ‘Bjm-12’, ‘Ketan’, ‘Seribu Gantang’, ‘Bayer Raden Rati’, and ‘Padi Kanji’) were found to possess higher levels of tolerance than the improved tolerant upland cultivar ‘IRAT104’. Diallel analysis revealed that high RRL is governed by both additive and dominance effects with a preponderance of additive effects. The trait exhibited partial dominance, and one group of genes was detected. Heritability was high, and environmenal effects were low. Findings suggest that when breeding for A1 toxicity tolerance, selection can be made in early generations. The pedigree method of breeding would be suitable. Combining ability analysis revealed the importance of both general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) in the genetics of A1 toxicity tolerance in rice. GCA was more prevalent than SCA. Tolerant parens ‘Azucena’, ‘IRAT104’, and ‘Moroberekan’ were the best general combiners. The presence of reciprocal effects among crosses suggested the proper choice of parents in hybridization programs. Results indicated that ‘Azucena’, ‘IRAT 104’, and ‘Moroberekan’ should be used as the female in crosses for A1 toxicity tolerance.

Crosses were made between Fanny (highly susceptible to blast) and 11 cultivars differing in blast resistance. Using the pedigree method (PM) segregating generations were evaluated and selected for blast resistance. Via anther culture (AC), doubled-haploids were obtained from F1 plants and from F2 blast-susceptible plants. Pedigree and anther culture-derived lines were planted together and evaluated for blast resistance under rainfed conditions at the Santa Rosa Experiment Station, Villavicencio, Colombia. The principal objective was to compare PM and AC in terms of their efficiency in producing rice lines resistant to blast. Results of a stratified analysis showed an association between method and blast resistance. Results of the logit-model analysis showed that AC produced a significantly (P=0.0001) higher proportion of lines with initial blast resistance (leaf- and neck-blast reaction =4) than did PM across all cross types. Stable blast resistance was assessed based on field performance over 3 years. AC was superior to PM in generating stable resistance for only some cross types. Consequently, with a few exceptions, AC can be used as effectively as PM to develop rice cultivars resistant to blast, with savings in time and labor. Additionally, blast-resistant lines were obtained either by the pedigree method or by anther culture from crosses between blast-susceptible cultivars (Fanny/CICA4 and Fanny/Colombial). This excludes somaclonal variation as a possible mechanism responsible for this resistance and suggests that a recombination of minor genes could have occurred and was fixed through either method. However, the stability of the resistance was greater in pedigree-derived lines. The implications of these findings for rice blast-resistance breeding are discussed.