Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: PR23

Mains level: Rice for global food security

pr23

Farmers in China are now growing a perennial variety of rice called PR 22 which does not need to be planted every year.

What is PR23?

Researchers at the Yunnan University have developed a variety of perennial rice named PR23 by cross-breeding regular annual rice Oryza sativa with a wild perennial variety from Africa.
Unlike regular rice which is planted every season, PR23 can yield eight consecutive harvests across four years (as these plants with stronger roots grow back vigorously after each harvest).
PR23 yields, reported at 8 tons per hectare, are comparable to regular irrigated rice.
But growing it is much cheaper since it requires less labour, seeds and chemical inputs.

Benefits of the variety

It can result in remarkable environmental benefits such as soils accumulating close to a ton of organic carbon (per hectare per year) along with increases in water available to plants.
It is were preferred by farmers since it saved 58% in labour and 49% in other input costs, over each regrowth cycle.
The researchers claim it can transform farming by improving livelihoods, enhancing soil quality and by inspiring research on other grains.
The invention could transform rice farming by making it climate-friendly, besides using less of labour and other inputs.

Rice feeds about half of the world, and its farming and consumption are primarily in Asia.
Most crops grown today were once perennial, but bred to be annual, short-duration, to make them more productive.
Perennial rice could be a transformational innovation if it proves to be economically sustainable.

India is the world’s second largest rice producer, after China, and the largest exporter with a 40% share in global trade.
It is grown during both summer and winter crop seasons.
Perennial rice can reduce the drudgery of annual trans-plantation, a back-breaking task, and generate savings on seeds and other inputs.
China’s early success has another lesson for India: to raise investments in public research and agricultural sciences.
This can help counter the impact of climate change on food security and rural incomes.