New ‘Survivor’ Rice Variety

KHMER TIMES
SUM MANET



The Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) is carrying out research to develop a new rice variety that can withstand drastic climatic changes, survive pest attacks, and is resistant to plant diseases.

According to state news agency AKP, the CARDI research involves incorporating desirable traits from the Romduol and Leangchey rice species into a new laboratory-developed variety called “Ei Air”.

“The new rice variety can be planted all through the year and can withstand floods, drought, diseases and pest attacks,” said Ouk Makara, director of CARDI.

“It will have all the good qualities of Romduol and the strong survival traits of Leangchey,” added Mr. Makara.

“The selected new variety can survive under [climatic] stress and retain desirable grain qualities. This will have positive impacts in the lives of poor farmers.”

Mr. Makara said CARDI’s research had the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and other rice research centers in neighboring countries.

Researchers in Asean and the Greater Mekong Sub-region are creating more robust, climate-ready rice varieties that boost yields and adapt well to harsh conditions. According to the International Rice Research Institute in Manila, a process known as marker assisted back-crossing can identify favorable survival traits, and combine them with other favorable traits to create more robust, elite rice varieties.