The Sea Rice Research and Development Center carried out this year's first sea rice experimental planting on May 20 in Licang district of Qingdao, Shandong province.

Sea rice is a new type of rice with saline-alkaline tolerance that was developed through crossbreeding and ordinary breeding technologies by Chinese plant-breeding experts.

More than 500 varieties of rice seedlings were planted in the center's experimental field.

"All these experimental materials were selected from across the country and Southeast Asia, so their growth performance varies with Qingdao's climate condition. We will investigate all these differences so as to guide the sea rice breeding and promotion in the city," said Zou Dandan, a breeder from the Sea Rice Research and Development Center.

Sea rice breeding is of great significance to China's food production and food security. According to Yuan Longping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, if the planting of sea rice is expanded to cover 666,667 hectares, it will increase rice production by 30 billion kilograms a year based on the minimum output of 4,500 kilograms per hectare, equal to the annual output of rice in Hunan province, which can feed 80 million people.

The Sea Rice Research and Development Center. [Photo/gog.cn]

A staff member shows the experimental rice seedlings at the experimental field of the Sea Rice Research and Development Center in Licang district of Qingdao, Shandong province, May 20, 2018. [Photo/dailyqd.com]

More than 500 varieties of rice seedlings are planted in the experimental field of the Sea Rice Research and Development Center in Licang district of Qingdao, Shandong province, May 20, 2018. [Photo/dailyqd.com]