About this Project
The Rice Diversity Project focuses on exploring and describing the links between DNA-level genetic variation and morphological - developmental phenotypic variation. It also concentrates on determining key similarities and differences between cultivated rice, Oryza sativa, and its wild ancestor, Oryza rufipogon. Ultimately, our goal is to collect genotypic and phenotypic information that can be utilized to explore the evolutionary history and genetic control of complex traits in rice and to improve rice varieties.
A dynamic team of people work in the field, lab, and greenhouse to genotype and phenotype the rice varieties. Additional team members concentrate on bioinformatics and outreach. We also have a strong network of international collaborators who have been essential in assembling plant material and assessing diverse phenotypes.