What does super rice mean, and which varieties were confirmed in 2020?
On June 8, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a notice on the confirmed varieties of super rice for 2020, stating that 11 varieties were confirmed as super rice varieties for 2020, and another 10 varieties had their super rice naming qualification revoked, so what does super rice mean? Which varieties were confirmed in 2020?
1. What does super rice mean?
In a broad sense, super rice is rice whose major traits, such as yield, grain quality and resistance, all significantly exceed the level of existing varieties (combinations); in a narrow sense, it refers to new varieties (combinations) whose yield is greatly increased on the basis of resistance and grain quality similar to those of the control varieties (combinations). Generally, super rice refers to the narrow concept, that is, super high-yielding rice. In the 1980s, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan and the International Rice Research Institute successively launched super rice projects, but neither achieved real success. China later caught up and launched the “China Super Rice Breeding” project in 1996, breeding a number of varieties with independent intellectual property rights.
2. Which super rice varieties were confirmed in 2020?
According to the Measures for the Confirmation of Super Rice Varieties (Nong Ban Ke [2008] No. 38), after recommendations from various places and expert review, 11 varieties including Suken 118 and Zhongzu 143 are now confirmed as super rice varieties for 2020 (Attachment 1). Because the promotion area did not meet the requirements, the super rice naming qualification of 10 varieties, including Fengyou 299, Liangyou Peijiu, Nei 2 You 6, Ganxin 688, II You Hang 2, Rongyou 3, Yangjing 4038, Wuyunjing 24, Chujing 28 and Jinyou 785, is revoked. At present, there are a total of 133 super rice varieties confirmed by our ministry. The specific varieties are as follows:
1. Suken 118
Suken 118 is a conventional japonica rice, with a growth period of 150 days, suitable for planting in the central Jiangsu and Ningzhenyang hilly areas of Jiangsu Province.
2. Zhongzu 143
Zhongzu 143 is a conventional indica rice, with a growth period of 112.1 [days], suitable for planting as early rice in Zhejiang Province.
3. Jiafengyou 2
Jiafengyou 2 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 144.7 days, suitable for planting as single-season indica rice in Zhejiang Province.
4. Huazheyou 71
Huazheyou 71 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 136.9 days, suitable for planting as single-season indica rice in Zhejiang Province.
5. Funongyou 676
Funongyou 676 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 144.0 days, suitable for planting as middle rice in areas of Fujian Province where rice blast occurs lightly.
6. Jiyouhang 1573
Jiyouhang 1573 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 119.6 days, suitable for planting as late rice in areas of Jiangxi Province where rice blast occurs lightly.
7. Taiyou 871
Taiyou 871 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 121.4 days, suitable for planting in Jiangxi Province and other double-cropping rice areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River where rice blast occurs lightly.
8. Longfengyou 826
Longfengyou 826 is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 115.4 days, suitable for planting as late rice in the southern Guangxi rice-growing area and the central Guangxi rice-growing area in locations suitable for planting photoperiod-sensitive varieties. It should not be planted in areas where rice blast occurs severely.
9. Jingyou Huazhen
Jingyou Huazhen is a three-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 158.4 days, suitable for planting as one-season middle rice in the plain and hilly rice areas of Sichuan Province, Guizhou Province (excluding the Wuling Mountain area), the low- and medium-altitude indica rice areas of Yunnan Province, areas of Chongqing Municipality (excluding the Wuling Mountain area) below 800 m in altitude, and the rice areas of southern Shaanxi Province. It should not be planted in areas where rice blast occurs severely.
10. Yongyou 7850
Yongyou 7850 is an indica-japonica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 154.7 days, suitable for planting as single-season late rice in the japonica rice areas of Zhejiang Province, Shanghai Municipality, southern Jiangsu Province, along the Yangtze River in Anhui Province, and along the Yangtze River in Hubei Province.
11. Jingliangyou 1988
Jingliangyou 1988 is a two-line indica hybrid rice, with a growth period of 135.8 days, suitable for planting as one-season middle rice in the rice areas of Hubei Province (excluding the Wuling Mountain area), Hunan Province (excluding the Wuling Mountain area), Jiangxi Province, Anhui Province and the Yangtze River basin of Jiangsu Province, as well as the middle rice area of Zhejiang Province, the northern rice area of Fujian Province and the southern rice area of Henan Province.
In general, super rice is rice whose yield, grain quality and resistance all significantly exceed the level of existing varieties (combinations). At present, 11 varieties were confirmed in 2020. Those who want to plant it can choose one of the above 11 varieties to plant.