Rice breeding in India: A journey from phenotype based pure-line selection to genomics assisted breeding

Rice breeding in India has undergone several transformations through decades to sustain food security of the country. The consumer demands and dynamics of biotic and abiotic stresses have changed substantially in India since the green revolution era. Adoption of modern technologies along with the application of practical knowledge of conventional breeding techniques has played and will continue to play key role in improving the genetic gain. In this article, we reviewed the progress made so far in rice breeding in India in a global perspective and outlined the journey from phenotype based pure-line selection to genomics assisted breeding in last seven decades.