Much of the arable land in China, the world’s largest rice producer, is off-limits for growing rice because there is too much salt in the soil or in the available irrigation water. Researchers are making progress, however, on developing 200 varieties that tolerate salty water although at far lower levels than found in sea water.
“The Chinese team behind the new strain hopes that in three to five years, they’ll be able to produce enough of the salt-water-powered grain to feed 200 million people, and possibly hundreds of millions more around the world,” says Business Insider. An FAO official says the technique could be adopted in other major rice-growing countries. The Chinese research is guided by Yuan Longping, who won the 2004 World Food Prize for his work on hybrid rice.
“With the saltwater technique, rice growers are hoping to cut back on energy use. One successful strain, called Green Super Rice, has been shown to grow in salty water and is already being cultivated with some success in the Philippines. It’s more environmentally friendly than typical high-yield rice, and it fetches a higher price due to its high-quality, reddish grains, according to the International Rice Research Institute,” said Busines Insider.