Vergara - 1976 - Physiological and morphological adaptability of ri

CONCLUDING REMARKS 541
Their influences have been emphasized not only on crop plants but also on
insects and diseases.
Continuous reference has been made to thc genetic ability of the rice plant to
accommodate the wide range of climatic conditions to which it is subjected. It is
obvious from the reviews presented at this symposium that great genetic variability
does exist in rice and that it should be fully exploited. We have been
advised that this exploitation will require carefully planned interdisciplinary
research approaches involving not only the geneticist and plant breeder, but also
plant physiologists. plant protection specialists, soil scientists, agronomists, and,
last but not least, climatologists.
The role of the phytotron in research on rice has been rather thoroughly
explored. not only in the special evening lecture given by Dr. Lloyd Evans but
incidcntallyg in most of the papers presented. It is obvious that this facility‘
provides a remarkable tool to gain a better understanding of the response of rice
to climate. Likewise, recognition has been given to its usefulness in determining
behavior patterns of insects and diseases and methods of controlling these
pests.
Participants at this symposium are leaving a number of challenges to lRRl
scientists. The first is thc challenge to more fully characterize thc climatic
environments in which rice is grown. It is not too meaningful to reproduce in
the phytotron climatic conditions which may or may not occur in the field. The
second challenge is to ascertain the effects of differences in given climatic variables
and their interactions not only on growth and yield, but on the morphological
and physiological and developmental processes upon which growth and
yield depend. Some of this tvork can best be done under natural conditions but
some will require controlled-environment conditions. The third challenge is to
make comparable studies of the response of disease and insect pests to the same
climatic variables vrhich influence the rice plant. We will be doing less than our
duty if we do not use our netv facility to greatly shorten the time needed to
determine the epidemiology of the major rice diseases and the ecology‘ of major
rice itisects.
A fourth challenge is to utilize the phytotron, not as a special facility independent
of our other research. but as a tool to help answer quickly questions which
cannot be answered in nature or will take much longer to answer under natural
conditions. This challenge requires a balance wherein the phytotron takes its
place alongside inicromctcorologieal equipment and more traditional field
research facilities as tools for environmental research.
A fifth challenge is to utilize the same interdisciplinary» gpproaches in the
phytotrtin which have characterized other research at this Institute. Just as there
are interactions among thc effects ofclimatic variables, so must thcrc be interactions
among the researchers.
Sixth. IRRI scientists are challenged to continue communicating with you and
your peers. This communication must not be. limited to exchange of publications