A new variety of Chinese rice can be grown in dry areas

Almaty. October 24. Silkroadnews - A new variety of Chinese rice can be grown in dry areas, People’s Daily reports.
“A new rice variety that brings 450-kilograms-per-mu (0.07 hectares) yields in dry soil was announced recently, marking a breakthrough in Chinese rice breeding,” the report said.
The experiments with rice cultivation were conducted in Hebei province in northern China and were the development of China’s “father of hybrid rice” Yuan Longping. Some successful tests with other varieties, including a super hybrid rice, “giant” rice and rice, capable of growing in seawater, have previously attracted attention around the world.
It is reported that for good growth, rice normally needs a lot of water, thus, successful trials on dry soils mean that rice can be grown in the dry northern regions of China. This will help farmers increase their incomes and get rid of poverty.
According to the publication, the new rice variety at a price of 4 yuan ($0.6) per kilogram, can bring 1000 yuan ($151) more from one mu than corn, wheat or other traditional crops grown on the North China Plain.
The new variety, as expected, will help farmers to learn new water-saving methods of rice cultivation, which could bring huge benefits. For example, the super hybrid rice has an average yield of 1,149 kilograms per mu, or 17.2 tonnes per hectare, which is a new world record.
The seawater rice, which can grow in salty and alkaline soils, yields about 500 kilograms per mu. Over the next 5-8 years, China is expected to use 100 million mu of land for “sea water rice”.
Meanwhile, the “giant” rice, which can grow to more than 2 meters in height, can produce 1,000 kilograms per mu and provides an excellent habitat for fish and other seafood.