Use of induced mutations and tissue culture in the rice (Oryza sativa L.) improvement programme in Cuba

In 1986, the Rice Research Institute began to use tissue culture techniques for the genetic improvement of rice. Subsequently, in 1998, the Institute, in co-operation with the applied Research Centre for Nuclear Energy Development, started a programme of improvement by mutation using radiations with different LET. In the same year, the Centre started applying molecular biology to rice improvement. The tissue culture techniques included the culture of anthers and somatic tissue, recovery of interspecific hybrid embryos and the culture of protoplasts. Work in molecular biology has focused on the isolation and purification of total DNA and subsequent restriction analysis. The preliminary results of using these technologies in the Cuban rice improvement programme are described. (author). 7 refs, 6 tabs