Large-scale propagation of the new high-quality wheat variety Emai 18 succeeds in Hubei

The new @#@245@#@ variety "Emai 18", which combines high quality and special purpose, high yield, multi-resistance and early maturity in one, has been successfully propagated on a large scale in Hubei. This variety fills the gap of the absence of medium-gluten wheat in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and won the first prize of the Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award in 2005.

According to Li Meifang, a researcher at the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences who bred "Emai 18", "Emai 18" is Hubei's first high-quality medium-gluten wheat variety to organically combine four major target traits in one: high quality and special purpose (reaching the national medium-gluten standard for special-purpose wheat varieties), high yield (yield increase of 8.75%), multi-resistance (moderate resistance to stripe rust and powdery mildew), and early maturity (whole growth period of 190 days). Its overall level has reached the leading level in the southern wheat region, filling the gap of the absence of medium-gluten wheat in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In 2003, it was included in the national "Key Promotion Plan for Scientific and Technological Achievements" and a major special sub-project of the national "863" Program. It won the first prize of the Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award in 2005.

It is understood that since its breeding, "Emai 18" has been promoted on a cumulative area of 8.23 million mu in Hubei, Chongqing and Anhui. It has increased wheat output by a cumulative 227 million kg, driving farmers to increase income by 468 million yuan. In 2005 alone, it was promoted on 3.2 million mu in more than 30 counties and cities in Hubei, accounting for 30% of the province's total wheat planting area. Yu Dazhao, vice president of the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that efforts to promote "Emai 18" in Hubei and neighboring provinces will be increased, striving to account for 80% of Hubei's 10 million mu of wheat.