MISSION STATEMENT

The Rice Research Unit is national in scope and serves the entire U.S. rice industry. The mission of the Rice Research Unit is to:

• Utilize all available and appropriate technologies to develop broadly useful rice germplasm

• Develop superior quality, short-season rice varieties with high yield, disease and pest resistances, and desirable agronomic traits for the Southern U.S.

• Conduct basic investigations of breeding methodology, grain quality characteristics, host parasite disease reactions, and mechanisms of virulence of pathogenic agents for controlling rice field pests < li>

• Identify, adapt, and evaluate new breeding methods, e.g. biotechnology, for use in varietal improvement programs

• Identify and evaluate the cooking, nutritional, and processing qualities of new rice varieties and selections developed by U.S. public rice breeders in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas

• Control rice diseases by use of selective germplasm and biological methods