Extra-long grain rice hybrid evolved

[LRE]

Extra-long grain rice hybrid evolved

LAHORE: The private sector, after two years successful trial based on seven years field research, evolved a new variety of extra long grain hybrid rice with better yield.

Dr Ghulam Mustafa Avesi told APP Saturday after successful trial, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council has cleared the latest variety named ‘Guard LP3 Rice Hybrid’ for commercial cultivation, which was most suitable for better yield in Sindh, Balochistan and some parts of the Punjab. He said first time in history, Guard Agricultural Research and Services in collaboration with Chinese has established hybrid seed production in Pakistan.

Project director, Shahzad Ali Malik said by adopting hybrid rich technology, Pakistan could earn eight to $10 billions through rice export by 2012.

He said last year, rice crop through hybrid technology was cultivated on more than 150,000 acres of land and growers got double production. This year they plan to bring 300,000 acres of land under rice cultivation for surplus production.

He said that now it was high time for Pakistan to earn agro-dollars through research-oriented agriculture like Arab countries were earning Petro-dollars through petroleum products and Pakistan has the potential to capture the world market. The new variety seed has received tremendous response from growers and was being cultivated in lower Sindh on large scale under the supervision of Chinese scientists.

Three Chinese Tian Yongjiu, Liu Linhui and Yizhenhua are now engaged in rice seed cultivation in Badin district of Sindh. During two years trial, this variety is produced 90-100 maund rice per acre and with the adoption of rice hybrids in place of existing coarse rice varieties, the rice production can be doubled, he added. app

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