“Maize rice” developed in Henan, China

14 October 2010

Recently, over 30 experts from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology and Department of Agriculture, and some other organizations were so glad and excited to see a new type of rice with a single plant output of 250 grams in the experiment field of Henan Fengyuan Seed Company in Xinxiang. Such plant is called ―maize rice by farmers because like maize, it is over two meters high and has both broad and long leaves, dense aerial roots, erect and compact ears, and big and plump seeds.

This new rice line characterized by strong resistance against lodging, pest and disease and high yield was developed by Xinxiang Distant-origin Molecular Breeding Engineering Technical Research Center jointly established by the College of Life Sciences of Henan Normal University and Henan Fengyuan

Seed Company in Xinxiang. This center successfully induced DNA fragments of maize into rice through in-situ induction of germplasm cells with the technique of transferring big molecules of distant origin rather than mediators that easily produce harmful substances. Such practice enabled rich variations in rice that would help to raise resistance and yield. Maize rice is one of germplasms selected by this center through multiple field tests, which could be used to develop new rice varieties with high resistance and high yield.

Ji Shengdong, teacher of the College of Life Sciences of Henan Normal University, said that they would develop a new variety of such maize rice with a yield of over 850 kg per mu (12750 kg per ha) within 2-3 years.

Source: SeedQuest.com