Northeast China's Shenyang Agricultural University has claimed a
major breakthrough in the crossbreeding research of "super rice",
which helps to solve the contradiction between high yield and poor
quality.
The research outcome had won the state's second-grade award for
scientific and technological progress, said Prof. Chen Wenfu, a
noted rice specialist with the Shenyang Agricultural University who
is in charge of the project.
Prof. Chen said the first generation of super rice strain "Shennong
265" characterized by a larger ear of grain, high ear-bearing rate,
strong roots and stalks, with a per-hectare yield of 12 tons.
And the second super rice variety, "Shennong 606", on the basis of
keeping the high yield of the first generation, had effectively
enhanced rice quality and disease resistance, which helped to cope
with the contradiction between high yield and poor quality.
The prestigious rice specialist said the research of super
high-yield rice crossbreeding was launched back in the 1980s, which
was divided into the southern super crossbred rice and the northern
conventional super rice.
Presently, northern China had rice grown areas totaling 3.3 million
hectares, with a per hectare yield of less than nine tons on
average, the professor said.
The breakthrough in the northern conventional super rice
crossbreeding would possibly boost rice production in northern
China, Prof. Chen said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2003)