Basmati rice: Production could rise by 14%

Chinese Academy of Sciences found a gene named GW8 which could influence the quality of rice


June 26, 2012

BEIJING: A research carried out by Chinese scientists revealed that it could help increase the production of Pakistan’s flagship basmati rice to 14% without compromising on its quality. While studying the basmati rice from Pakistan that is famous around the world for its excellent quality, Fu Xiangdong at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found a gene named GW8 which could influence the quality of rice, reported Xinhua news agency. The researchers while identifying the key gene stated that it could enhance both quality and productivity of rice at the same time, as they reported in the journal of Nature Genetics. “We found another variant of the GW8, which could combine the advantages of those two variants that respectively influences quality and productivity,” Xiangdong said.  If it is introduced into the Basmati rice, it could increase its productivity by 14%, while preserving the quality.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.

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