Some of the world’s top rice scientists are presenting the latest results in hybrid rice research during the ongoing 9th annual meeting of the Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC) being held this week, 30 March-1 April, at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).  

Dr. Jacqueline Hughes, IRRI’s new deputy director general for research, welcomed 81 participants including consortium members from the private and public sectors. They will be selecting more than 2,000 hybrid breeding lines for use in their own breeding programs.

 

Dr. Fangming Xie, HRDC coordinator and senior scientist, is presenting a research update in hybrid rice and a report on the multilocation replicated yield trial. Charisse Grace Piadozo-Arlegui, HRDC assistant coordinator and assistant manager, is delivering a general report.
 

Throughout the week, IRRI scientists will be presenting the latest developments in hybrid rice research including:

 

On the participants' schedule are visits to IRRI’s hybrid rice yield trial and CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility) demonstration plot, the consortium’s multilocation field trial, the rainout shelter for drought tolerance of rice, and the newly built Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility.

 

Through the partnership platform of the HRDC, IRRI works with national agricultural research and extension systems and the private hybrid rice seed sector in promoting research on hybrid rice. Formed in 2008, the consortium aims to make better hybrids more widely available to rice farmers to raise the income of farmers, make rice production more efficient and sustainable, and keep rice affordable for millions of people who depend on it as a staple food.