A major agricultural breakthrough has taken place as Punjab University, in collaboration with China’s Wuhan University, has developed a new hybrid rice seed. This locally produced variety, named PU786, promises to triple per-acre rice yields — boosting it from traditional levels to an impressive 140 maunds per acre.
According to Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq, Chairman of the Plant Breeding and Genetics Department at Punjab University, the new seed is a result of 10 years of hard work and research. It’s also the first-ever Honglian-type hybrid rice developed in Pakistan.
The new hybrid seed has shown resistance to extreme heat, harmful pests, and bacterial diseases. Successful trials have already been conducted in various cities across all four provinces of the country.
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has officially approved the seed after it passed all technical evaluations.
Dr. Muhammad Ali, Vice Chancellor of Punjab University, emphasized that this innovation will not only help farmers increase their income but also improve the country’s rice exports. He called it a revolutionary step for Pakistan’s agriculture and a shining example of successful collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese universities.
He added, “This hybrid rice will improve nutrition and strengthen our economy — this is real progress.”
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