Yuan LongPing from China, considered the father of hybrid rice, will be the star speaker among 400 delegates from 30 countries, who are expected to take part in the 6th international hybrid rice symposium in Hyderabad. The three-day symposium beginning on Monday, will take stock of the progress in hybrid rice, especially research, seed production and progress made in different countries. China is the first country to develop and commercialise the hybrid rice technology.

Hybrid varieties

More than 50 per cent of rice area is under hybrid varieties. India is the second nation to develop its own hybrid rice and adopt it on a commercial scale.

At present, there are 59 rice hybrids that cover an estimated area of two million hectares. These are grown in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Directorate of Rice Research, and the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, will organise the global meet. It is being held for the second time in Hyderabad.

The event will be inaugurated by the Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister, Kanna Lakshminarayana. AP has emerged as the hybrid rice seed capital of the country, with more than 85 per cent of seed produced in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, according to a press release from the Directorate of Rice.

India produces 103 million tonnes of rice from 44 million hectares. It is the second largest producer after China. However, the challenge is to produce 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of additional rice annually, to feed the growing population in the next 15 to 20 years. The conference will focus on hybrid rice research and development in several countries and its role in achieving food security, said B.C. Viraktamath, Director of the Directorate of Rice Reserach. The international rice hybrid symposia is being held once in four years.

> somasekhar.m@thehindu.co.in

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