Yuan Longping, renowned Chinese developer of hybrid rice, is planning experiments on expanding the production of sea-rice at the newly-founded Sea-Rice Research and Development Center in Qingdao, a coastal city of east China's Shandong province. [iqilu.com]

Yuan Longping, renowned Chinese developer of hybrid rice, is planning experiments on expanding the production of sea-rice at the newly-founded Sea-Rice Research and Development Center in Qingdao, a coastal city of east China's Shandong province.

Established and opened on May 7, 2017, the research center will use gene sequencing to cultivate new strains of sea-rice that will yield more rice and grow with saline water.

Wild sea-rice is at first found in saline-alkaline soil at the junctures where rivers join the sea. The plant is resistant to pests, diseases, salt and alkali and does not need fertilizer.

Located in Licang district, the sea-rice research and development center, headed by Yuan Longping, has hosted the first international sea-rice forum, and initiated the national sea-rice association.

Known as China's "father of hybrid rice", Yuan started theoretical research about 50 years ago and kept setting new records in the average yields of hybrid rice plots.