Progress made in developing hybrid rice through China-Pakistan collaboration
Published on: November 30, 2023.
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China and Pakistan Collaborate on Hybrid Rice Research
BEIJING, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The University of the Punjab in Pakistan and Wuhan University in China have been conducting a groundbreaking joint research project on the cultivation of Honglian type hybrid rice under high-temperature conditions for the past five years.
Under this collaboration, Wuhan University has supplied three new rice varieties to the University of the Punjab, which have been planted in a test field located in Pakistan.
The Honglian type hybrid rice, a major achievement of Wuhan University, holds a significant position in the global hybrid rice sector. Known for its high yield, good quality, wide adaptability, high nitrogen use efficiency, and high-temperature tolerance, this rice variety is set to revolutionize rice production.
According to Muhammad Ashfaq, a project leader and associate professor at the University of the Punjab, the leaf samples collected from the test field in Wuhan hold the key to unlocking the heat tolerance genes of the Honglian type hybrid rice. This discovery has tremendous implications for global food production and climate adaptation.
During research visits to Hubei province, Ashfaq also toured a Honglian type hybrid rice seed production field in Luotian county. This collaborative effort between the two universities aims to promote the trial planting of the new-generation hybrid rice in Pakistan, contributing to global food stability and sustainable development.
Excitingly, the hybrid rice seeds produced in the Luotian field had an impressive output of 4.68 metric tons per hectare this year. Ashfaq expressed his eagerness to introduce these rice varieties to large-scale cultivation in Pakistan, highlighting the potential for increased agricultural productivity in the region.
Since the initiation of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China has been actively sharing its agricultural expertise and technologies, including hybrid rice, with countries worldwide. This collaboration between China and Pakistan is just one example of the significant contributions being made to global agriculture.
- Related Links:
- Rice Exporters: https://www.hasrice.com
- Pakistan Rice Exporters: https://www.pakistanrice.com
- White Broken Rice: https://www.brokenrice.com
Source: China Daily
