Hainan successfully breeds a new high-yield, high-quality glutinous rice variety

The Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences has successfully bred a glutinous rice variety, "Haifeng Nuomi No. 1," which has better quality than the traditional Li ethnic group's Shanlan rice. This variety has the advantages of high yield, disease resistance, cold tolerance, lodging resistance and good glutinous quality, with an average yield per mu 4 times that of Shanlan rice.

Shanlan rice, also called "Shanlan rice" (mountain-blocked rice), refers to a type of upland glutinous rice planted by the Li people of Hainan, China, who cut out a patch of land on the mountain and enclosed it for cultivation. It is suitable for brewing wine, and Shanlan wine is called the champagne of the Li ethnic group. Therefore, Shanlan rice is the traditional crop most beloved by the Li ethnic group.

The person in charge of the Grain Crops Research Institute of the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences introduced that in the central region of Hainan, long-term cultivation of Shanlan rice not only damages the ecological environment but also yields very little, with one mu of Shanlan rice producing only just over 100 kg. In order to both protect the ecological environment and meet farmers' needs for planting glutinous rice to brew wine and make specialty foods, since 2003 the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences has been committed to breeding high-quality glutinous rice that can replace Shanlan rice.

Through several years of breeding and trial planting, "Haifeng Nuomi No. 1" has the advantages of high yield, strong disease resistance, good cold tolerance and excellent lodging resistance. Its glutinous quality is far higher than that of Shanlan rice, and its average yield per mu can reach 450 kg, 4 times the yield of Shanlan rice.

In addition, "Haifeng Nuomi No. 1" has a relatively short growth period and can be planted twice a year in Hainan. The early crop is sown in December and matures in about 145 days, while the late crop is sown in July and can be harvested in only about 117 days, making it very suitable for promotion and planting in the mountainous areas of central Hainan.

At present, the Grain Crops Research Institute of the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences has demonstrated and promoted the planting of 500 mu in the cities and counties of Wuzhishan, Baisha and Changjiang. "Haifeng Nuomi No. 1" has recently passed the approval of the Hainan Provincial Crop Variety Committee.