A Service of Montana State University Extension and the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Sponsored through funding provided by Montana Wheat and Barley Committee

In April 2000, Monsanto announced the production of the rice genome sequence in support of Monsanto’s own internal research and also announced that Monsanto intended to share the rice genome sequence data with international researchers free of charge, including those participating in the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP). The IRGSP, a consortium of scientist from around the world organized to obtain the DNA sequence of the rice genome, simultaneously announced that they were accepting data from the Monsanto draft sequence to further support their goal of a complete and public sequence of the rice genome. The Monsanto rice genome data (at that time) was the most complete genetic understanding of any crop plant and it was also believed to be the first time a private enterprise shared such a large volume of genomic information globally in this manner and by August 2000, Monsanto had completed the transfer of data to the international project and launched the free web site, http://www.rice-research.com through which public researchers who are not members of the international project may access the draft data.

On January 26, 2001, the Torrey Mesa Research Institute (TMRI), the genomics research center of Syngenta, announced that it has completed the “Rice Genome Map” in collaboration with Myriad Genetics, Inc. Syngenta has publicly stated that they will make their genome data available for humanitarian research and for other research collaborations. A recent SCIENCE magazine article by R. John Davenport provides additional perspectives on both the Monsanto and Syngenta initiatives (SCIENCE News This Week, Feb. 2, 2001).

On February 9^th, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) issued a press statement at the end of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP) meetings held that week. The IRGSP announced their decision to produce a complete public sequence of the rice genome in a short time period. The complete MAFF press release is included below:

MAFFrice01