Changsha (CNS) -- Academician Yuan Longping, 81, announced a new "super hybrid rice breed" on Monday, which had successfully yielded over 900 kg of rice per mu (a Chinese area unit equal to 666.6 square meters), breaking the world record.
Cheng Shihua, director of the China National Rice Research Center, led a team of experts from the Ministry of Agriculture to the experimental fields on Sunday. The inspection showed that the about-100-mu fields had harvested 926.6 kg of rice per mu, accomplishing the goal set by the third phase of the Chinese hybrid rice cultivation program.
Half of the world's population relies on rice as their principal food and countries around the world have been striving for yield improvement.
Rice institutes in Japan and other countries have all drawn plans to breed higher quality rice and raise yields. Japan was the only country achieving 800 kg/unit yield on a small area of land.
Since late last century, Yuan has led a scientific team that surpassed the 700 kg and 800 kg limits in 1999 and 2005, reserving the leading position in hybrid rice science for China.
Yuan told the press that he values the importance of fine breeds, advanced methods and rich fields. A fine breed should bear the test of pest control and prevention and promise a good harvest, he said.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the main duty of Chinese hybrid rice science was to raise unit yields and feed a large population by any means.
"Both high yields and fine quality were difficult goals, but we did it," said Yuan.
Asked whether geographical conditions affect yield, Yuan answered frankly that elements like local ecology, soil and water are necessary for a good harvest.
Because of this, successful experiments can't be expanded to all regions with the same degree of success, some of which can only expect 650 to 700 kg per mu.
"For the moment, China possesses over 200 million mu of land, 10 times as much as Japan, and is working toward depending on its own production to ensure national food security."
Yuan says he won't rest upon the current victory. He is already targeting a national scientific program for a 1,000 kg/unit yield. "It is my dream," said Yuan.
