| Sunday October 29, 2006
New fusion to staple diet
Malaysia’s quest to be self-sufficient in rice production could be achieved with the introduction of hybrid rice cultivation, ANTHONY LIM reports. WE come across it every day, and our dependence on it for sustenance is almost absolute. Nonetheless, most of us don’t stop to reflect on its importance in our daily lives, or appreciate its true value. The object in question is none other than rice. It is second only to wheat in terms of cultivation, and represents the staple food for more than half the world’s population, primarily in Asia. 
| | WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE: Hybrid rice plants, bountiful, and resplendently so. — Pictures by ANTHONY LIM
| Yet, while levels of per capita intake of rice around the world continue to climb each year, the land area utilised for cultivation continues to become smaller, everywhere. Malaysia, for example, is only about 65% self-sufficient in rice production, and with a shrinking area of production and a growing population, the means to achieving complete self-sufficiency looks remote. Part of it is due to the lack of glamour and low income generally associated with rice production. There is a lot of work involved, usually for very little returns in monetary terms. In larger-scale ventures, this is less of a problem, but even then, oil palm, for instance, is seen as a more lucrative business. Despite the subsidisation of items such as seeds, fertilisers and machinery, rice cultivation is more often than not seen as not being rewarding enough for many, who are moving away from this way of life. Besides natural conditions that determine and affect the overall productivity cycle, things such as fluctuating yields and a shortage of affordable labour are not helping to alleviate the situation. This is reflected in the area of overall cultivation, which is decreasing, the land either abandoned or left idle. 
| | PET PROJECT: Chen believes the type of rice produced at the Pahang project has to be suited to local conditions and cater to demand in taste. — Picture courtesy of RB Biotech
| One way to arrest the decline in rice production is by means of introducing hybrid rice cultivation, which would address inconsistent yield rates and marginal income returns that affect ordinary (inbred) rice production. Developed in China, the beginnings came when a male sterility gene was identified in a variety of wild rice. A successful transfer of the gene by Chinese scientists allowed the creation of the first generation hybrids in 1974. With the first examples being made available to farmers in 1976, hybrid rice is now responsible for more than 65% of China’s total rice production, with more than half of the country’s total rice land currently planted with hybrid rice. Possibly the most important element of hybrid rice is the higher output and yield rate in returns – the average yields are at least 50% higher than the best inbred varieties. On average, the yield is about six tonnes per hectare, but with favourable environment and proper field management, this can be easily double that figure. Furthermore, it is possible to have five seasons of planting in two years, which is not achievable with traditional means. The creation of hybrid rice is by means of crossing two parents that are genetically different and distant from each other. With careful screening and matching, the resultant offspring will exhibit superiority over an inbred, derived from the best aspects present in both its parents. This, of course, means that selective adaptation to the ecological environment it is going to be located in is a prerequisite. The wrong choice of hybrid simply offers no advantage in terms of yield. Correctly matched to the environment, a hybrid will exhibit many advantages over its inbred cousins during the growth stage. Its roots are two to three times more that that of normal varieties, thus allowing it to absorb higher levels of water and fertiliser, and hybrids have a higher production of leaves, as well as larger leaves, lending it the ability to produce superior rice. Conversely, there is a need for higher amount of fertiliser and water than with inbreds. There is also a different scope in how seedlings are managed. For one, the level of attention needed in growing seedlings is greater, and there is a requirement for sparse seeding to promote vigorous growth. Though more expensive to produce, less seeds are needed per hectare, about 20kg compared to 100-200kg needed for inbreds. The use of new seeds every season is a prerequisite; otherwise, it will result in non-uniform growth. The different terminologies for hybrids are classified as such: The A Line is the female plant, which is also known as the cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS). This is the seed parent, and is produced by crossing with a B Line. The B Line is genetically the same as the A Line, except for fertility (it is not male sterile). It holds the key to “patenting” the hybrid, and is also known as maintainer because it preserves the sterility of A. The R Line is the male parent; the R is short for restorer, because it restores fertility in the hybrid seed. The F1 is what is termed the hybrid seed, and is a product of crossing A with R. It is essentially the first filial generation, and is supposed to perform better than either parent. Technically, it is not classified as a genetically modified organism (GMO). Finally, there is F2, which is harvested from F1 plants, and is sold as commercial rice. Related Story:
Pilot hybrid rice project off to a promising start
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