Scientists Developing Rice With 50 Pct More Yield
An international team of scientists is attempting to develop a new rice strain that will use less water and fertilizer but could boost yields by up to 50 percent to meet growing demand, a research institute said Wednesday.
The ambitious laboratory project involving molecular biologists, geneticists, physiologists and biochemists from research organizations across the globe could take a decade or more to complete, said the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
About half of the worlds population consumes rice as a staple, and increasing its productivity is crucial to achieving long-term food security, the institute said.
Over the next 50 years, the population of the world is projected to increase by about 50 percent and water scarcity will grow, so boosting the productivity of rice “is crucial to achieving long-term food security”, IRRI said.
IRRI is leading the effort to achieve a major increase in global rice production by using modern molecular tools to develop a more efficient and higher-yielding form of rice.
– This is a long-term, complex project that will take a decade or more to complete, said John Sheehy, the scientist leading the work at the IRRI, adding:
-The result of this strategic research has the potential to benefit billions of poor people.
