Pakistan
May 15, 2015
The Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) on Rice was held at Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) headquarters under the Chairmanship of affiliate Plant Sciences Division, Dr. Muhammad Shahid Masood.
In this meeting, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) sanctioned eleven (11) new high-yielding rice varieties including seven (7) hybrid and four (4) Open-Pollinated (OP) seed for cultivation in various ecologies.
According to the statement issued by the PARC; "The hybrid varieties approved by the VEC have yield potential up to 92 mounds per acre whereas the OP rice varieties have potential to produce much yield than the existing IRRI-6 and KSK-133 varieties."
The OP varieties have been developed from the Green Super Rice (GSR) germplasm supplied by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Philippines to PARC and National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE).
These OP varieties have high yield potential and also submergence, salinity and water stress tolerance characters. Dr. M. Shahid Masood Chairman VEC looked optimistic.
He said; "With the addition of new recommended hybrids of rice in the national system of the country, it is expected that there will be a considerable improvement in rice production in Pakistan."
In the interim, Chairman PARC, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad commended the endeavours of the scientists and other stakeholders for introducing new rice varieties.
"I expect that the commencement of new rice varieties would not only produce promising crop yield but would also help farmers to raise their incomes, to improve their livelihood and eventually play role in building of overall economy of the country," he remarked.
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