Staff Reporter
Islamabad: Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research along with Chairman PARC Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan and DG NARC, Engr. Shamim-Ul-Sibtain Shah visited Green Super Rice (GSR) fields at National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) NARC, Islamabad on 12 November, 2020. He was briefed about the progress in GSR project and on-going activities of PARC.
Addressing the scientists, Minister emphasized the need to adopt modern breeding techniques for increase in per acre yield of crops.
By highlighting the progress of China in establishing genomics and biotechnology based breeding institutes, he encouraged the training of scientists in these institutes to harness the true benefits of genomics and biotechnology in agriculture. Chairman PARC, Dr. Azeem Khan while indicating the yield potential of 80 to 120 mounds per acre and grain length of 8.6 mm told that GSR could be the harbinger of economic prosperity.
Also by holding our position strong in the global export market of long grain rice, we can promote and protect food products against our competitors. Chairman also informed that apart from 4 acres at NARC, GSR has been cultivated in 9 different locations across the country.
Using latest technique of genome based breeding by design, NIGAB scientists, in collaboration with China, have developed these GSR lines. The GSR varieties are believed to be high yielding as it has resistance capacity to bacterial blight, drought and heat along with salinity and submergence tolerance.
While appreciating the efforts of scientists in GSR, Minister marks the need to expand such modern techniques in all important crops.