β-carotene producing transformants were produced in the background of "Nagdong", a japonica rice cultivar. Introgression of the caroteniod locus into the elite cultivar "Ilpum". Was started to initiate a backcrossing program, we surveyed 220 SSR markers and found that 38% of them were polymorphic between the “Ilpum” as the recurrent parent and "Nagdong" transfomed as a recipient parent. First, backcross progenies have been produced and genotyped by the transgene specific PCR-based marker. Blast search indicated that the transgene PAC4-2 was located between SSR markers, RM5631 and RM5916. We produced 240 BC3F2 plants derived from thirteen BC3F1 plants containing the caroteniod gene. To develop near isogenic line, additional experiments including target and background selection are being performed using SSR markers. Traits of agronomic importance such as heading date, panicle number and culm length will also be evaluated. The results will be discussed.

• Paul Yang(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University)
• Mi-Hee Song(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University)
• Sun-Hwa Ha(National Academy of Agricultural Science)
• Sang-Nag Ahn(Department of Agronomy, Chungnam National University) Corresponding author