Rice Blast Disease Infests Rice Fields in Indonesia
Scientists of Bogor Agricultural University and the United States agreed that some plants adapt to climate change by genetic mutation. It was revealed that the there is gene mutation in rice plants due to blast disease. An infected leaf has diamond-shaped or elliptical or spindle-shaped spots with gray or white centers and brown margins.
According to Dr. Utut Widyastuti, faculty member of Department of Biology IPB, blast disease causes great losses to farmers. "In Asia, this blast disease causes huge crop losses annually and is estimated to reduce the 50% of the rice productivity. Investation of blast disease damaged around 12 % of rice crop in most parts of Indonesia, "She stated in her remarks as the guest speaker at the International Seminar entitled" Climate Change: Challenge in Diversity and Genomic Adaptation” at the Auditorium Thoyib Hadiwijaya, Darmaga campus, on 12 July 2011.
Usually, this blast is highly destructive in upland rice, but recently it also attacks lowland rice fields. Further, Dr. Utut stated that in 2005 such disease has been detected in rice fields of Jasinga, Bogor, since then it has become the endemic of such disease. "Yet, this area has never been exposed to blast disease previously. This is very dangerous because the blast disease has spread from upland rice into the lowland rice, and has invested both the vegetative and generative stage of rice plant, "she said.
Therefore since 2002, Dr. Utut identified the blast isolates form the grass to study the pattern of attacks on rice. Having monitored against isolates that infected grass, there are three genes responsible for blast disease resistance of rice crops, namely the CUT 1, Erg, and PWL 2 genes respectively. "If these three genes are absence within three days after the blast infestation, it is prooved that such rice is susceptable to blast disease," she explained.
After being infested into rice plants, the gene mutation occurs as a result of the adaptation process undertaken by the blast. CUT 1 gene that was originally existed in the blast that infect the grass was not found in the blast that infect rice. As for gene PWL 2 occurs the opposite
"Gene mutation occurred as the blast is able to adapt to its host, such mutation should be prevented to develop greater. Besides its ability to spread from the uplands to the lowlands rice crops is also alarming. Therefore, further research programs to address the spread of the disease should be planned" she added.
In addition to Dr.Utut, of the Directorate for Research and Strategic Studies oficultural University, as the seminar organizer, present in the seminar, Dr. Beth Shapiro, from Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Michael D. Purugganan, from New York University, Dr. Jessica Hellmann, from the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Richard Edward Green, from the University of California Santa Cruz, and Dr. Satya Nuhroho, from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
"We invited young scientits from the international society to share and exchange information on research methodologies to enable us to learn the innovations to improve our research quality, so we won’t be left far behind," said Dr. Zulkarnaen Iskandar Siregar, Director of Research and Strategic Studies IPB. (Wied).
