Pakistan’s First Hybrid Rice Seed Boosts Yield to 140 Maunds
Punjab University in Pakistan and Wuhan University in China have created a new hybrid rice seed that can triple the amount farmers usually harvest. This breakthrough will change rice farming throughout the country by giving growers a profitable, sustainable option.
Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq, Chairman of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Punjab University, said the new rice variety is the first-ever Hang Lian-type hybrid produced in Pakistan. He believes it can yield up to 140 maunds per acre, much higher than the average harvest.
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has already approved the seed for commercial farming after extensive trials across every province. The data obtained in the trials indicated that it performed well across different climates and soil types indicating that it would be suited to use across the country.
One of the seed’s strongest features is its resistance to bacterial diseases, its tolerance for heat, and its protection against major pests—common problems for Pakistani rice farmers. Due to such characteristics, the rice is also quite favorable to the changing climate and farming environment of the country.
“This hybrid is not only high-yielding but also climate-resilient. It’s a sustainable solution that reduces dependency on chemical pesticides and mitigates losses due to extreme weather,” Dr. Ashfaq added.
The arrival of this hybrid rice seed is a major step forward in Pakistan’s journey toward agricultural innovation and food security. Rice is both a major export crop and a staple food, so higher yields could boost the national economy and improve farmer livelihoods.
