Fuente: ISHS (International Society for Horticultural Science) Post date: Monday 1 December 2025
Author:
ISHS Secretariat

Aliif Ihsaan Akmal Shukri is an agronomist/geneticist specializing in the induced mutation breeding of rice. He is a PhD candidate from the Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. His current project focuses on the gamma mutation breeding of Malaysian aromatic rice ‘MRQ104’, aiming to develop a new mutant variety with higher yield, better agronomic performance, enhanced aromatic properties and greater ornamental potential. In a greenhouse, ~6000 seeds (M1 generation) of ‘MRQ104’ were treated with 5 different acute gamma doses: 0 Gy (control), 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 Gy. M1 progenies with stable or improved quality were then cultivated in designated rice fields as M2 generation and subsequently into M3. Final results demonstrated a marked increase in yield of 15-33% per hectare for the irradiated groups. The flowering and maturity period for all irradiated groups was 3-7 days earlier than the control group. A wide spectrum in plant height could also be observed between groups, with the 300 Gy treatment growing 20 cm taller than the unirradiated seeds. While the main purpose was to develop a staple food crop, the findings also opened the potential for ornamental rice species. The distinct differences in height could potentially be manipulated to produce rice art (Tanbo), which is widely practiced in Japan. The application of rice lines from at least two groups (i.e. control and 300 Gy) offered the greatest potential for eco-tourism (rice art).
Aliif Ihsaan Akmal Shukri won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the III International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical Ornamentals in Malaysia in July 2025.
Contact: Aliif Ihsaan Akmal Shukri, Faculty of Plantation & Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Cawangan Melaka Kampus Jasin, 77300, Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia, e-mail: aliifihsaan@yahoo.com
The article is available in Chronica Horticulturae.Tags: acute gamma irradiationCategories: Young Minds Award Winners