China's 'super hybrid' rice expected to yield 17 tons per hectare

Yuan Longping

The annual output of China's "super hybrid" rice may reach 17 tons per hectare, according to renowned rice scientist Yuan Longping, known as China's father of hybrid rice.

"This year, we are striving for a new yield of 1,130 kilograms per mu [about 0.07 hectares], or 17 tons per hectare," Yuan said on April 12 at the First International Forum on Rice in Sanya, Hainan province. "Our chance of reaching the target is 90 percent," he added.

The Ministry of Agriculture launched a super hybrid rice breeding project in 1996. The previous target of 16 tons per hectare was realized in 2015, Yuan said.

At the forum, experts from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Chinese Academy of Sciences discussed innovations in rice breeding and the development of the rice industry. Over 500 new varieties of rice were on display at the forum.