Review of agronomic and genetic diversity of Moroccan rice varieties, and their resistance to blast disease (Pyricularia oryzae)
¹University Ibn Toufail, Faculty of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant, Animal, and Agro-Industry Productions, B.P. 242, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco
²Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Kenitra, B.P. 257, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco
*Correspondence: fathalah.elwahab@.uit.ac.ma
Abstract:
The study on agronomic and genetic characteristics of rice has given us scope to select varieties with desirable characteristics to mitigate various constraints. Rice (Oryza sativa) is the staple food for half of the world’s population. However, its production is hampered by a variety of biological constraints. The Blast disease (Pyricularia oryzae) is an important rice disease, and one of the most effective control methods is to use resistant varieties. Study areas in Morocco include the Gharb plains. For all methods, cultural practises like soil levelling seem to be important, but biological control is not widely adopted due to cost, efficacy, and climatic conditions. The bibliographic synthesis was carried out in this context with the main goals of contributing to a better understanding of rice cultivation in Morocco; to identify and characterise the structure of the rice blast pathogen (Pyricularia oryzae), which will allow us to characterise the effects of rice blast; and to research on the Gharb rice field, which resulted in resistant varieties, which will potentially allow producers to have resistant varieties to overcome the diseases. The introduction and development of new rice varieties with high agronomic and socioeconomic value; the selection of lines with high yield, good grain quality, and precocity that are adapted to Moroccan conditions; as well as the development of new lines from Moroccan rice, are among the specific goals.
Key words:
control methods, morocco, pyricularia oryzae, resistant varieties