China’s Hybrid Rice Produces Bountiful Crops in Pakistan
Published on: November 11, 2023.
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Muhammad Ashfaq, an assistant professor from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Punjab, recently conducted a study on the quality of Honglian hybrid rice. The university in China, Wuhan University, provided a pilot field for Ashfaq to collect over 2,000 samples of rice leaves. These samples were then transported to Wuhan University for analysis.
The Honglian hybrid rice, which was developed by Wuhan University in 1972, is known for its high yield, adaptability, and resistance to high temperatures. It is particularly suitable for countries along the Belt and Road route that have hot climates and frequent plant diseases and pests.
Collaboration for Research and Development
In 2019, researchers from Wuhan University collaborated with the University of the Punjab to study high-temperature resistant genes, improve rice planting technologies, and enhance the quality of rice. As part of the collaboration, Ashfaq planted Honglian hybrid rice and found that it had a yield that was 12.5% higher than the best local variety.
Following this success, the Wuhan University-University of the Punjab Joint Research Center of Honglian Type Hybrid Rice was established in 2020. The joint research received support and recognition from the state in the following year. The research teams published papers that drew attention worldwide.
During a field trip to Wuhan University, Ashfaq visited an 80-hectare field of the newest Luohongyou 1564 rice variety. The high plants with abundant rice ears suggested a high yield. Each hectare of Luohongyou 1564 seed can yield 700 kilograms of rice, and the field has the capacity to produce 140 metric tons of food.
Impact in Pakistan
Inspired by the success in China, Ashfaq plans to promote the cultivation of the Honglian hybrid rice in Pakistan on a larger scale. Over the past five years, the research center has been conducting trial planting and promoting the rice variety in Pakistan. The rice has garnered significant interest from local farmers, seed companies, and governments.
To further enhance the rice variety’s resistance to bacterial leaf blight, the research team at Wuhan University is working on developing a more robust and adaptable type of rice specifically for Pakistan.
Impact Along the Belt and Road Route
In addition to Pakistan, other countries along the Belt and Road route have also benefitted from the Honglian hybrid rice. For example, the majority of hybrid rice imported by the Philippines from China is of the Honglian type. African countries, such as Mozambique, Namibia, Kenya, and Chad, have also conducted trial cultivation of the rice, with yields surpassing 85% of local species.
China has been actively sharing its agricultural technologies, including hybrid rice, with Belt and Road partner countries. Over the past decade, more than 1,500 agricultural technologies have been delivered to these countries.
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