ISLAMABAD
\nIn a breakthrough gaining international attention, scientists from Pakistan and China have unveiled a new hybrid rice seed\u2014PU786\u2014that has the potential to triple per-acre yields.The innovation is set to revolutionize Pakistan\u2019s agricultural sector and significantly improve food security, Gwadar Pro reported on Wednesday.
\nDeveloped jointly by Punjab University (PU) and China\u2019s Wuhan University, PU786 increases yields from approximately 1,600 kg to 5,600 kg per acre. What makes it especially promising is its resistance to heat, pests, and bacterial diseases\u2014critical traits for farmers facing climate-related challenges in Pakistan.
\n\u201cPU786 isn\u2019t just a rice seed\u2014it\u2019s a seed of prosperity, innovation, and food sovereignty. From 1,600 kg to 5,600 kg per acre\u2014that\u2019s a game changer for Pakistani agriculture,\u201d said a local farmer leader following the announcement. PU786 is Pakistan\u2019s first-ever Honglian-type hybrid rice, the result of over a decade of collaborative research and field trials conducted across all four provinces.
\nThe initiative was led by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq, Chair of PU\u2019s Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, in partnership with Dr. Muhammad Ali Klasra and Chinese experts including Prof. Renshan Zhu, Dr. Xianting Wu, and Mr. Xu from Wuhan University. After rigorous testing and technical evaluations, the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) officially approved PU786 for nationwide use.
\n\u201cThis is a big deal,\u201d wrote one agricultural expert on social media. \u201cA seed like PU786 that boosts yields and withstands heat and pests? That\u2019s a total game-changer for farmers in Pakistan. Big props to the teams at Punjab and Wuhan. That\u2019s years of hard work paying off.\u201d Another citizen posted, \u201cThank you, China, for supporting Pakistan\u2014not just in defense, but in development and food security too!\u201d
\nAccording to Dr. Ashfaq, PU786 does more than increase yields\u2014it also opens doors for scientific collaboration, research exchange, and agricultural exports. \u201cThis breakthrough isn\u2019t just about rice. It\u2019s about research-driven progress that benefits farmers, strengthens our economy, and enhances food security for millions,\u201d he said.
\nIn addition to boosting crop production, the new seed is expected to improve local nutrition and strengthen Pakistan\u2019s position in the global rice market, especially in Asia. \u201cRice is fundamental in Asia. Every country should treat it as a priority\u2014it\u2019s one of our most essential needs,\u201d noted a policy analyst.
\nWhile the innovation has been widely praised for its productivity and climate resilience, experts say future efforts should focus on combining yield gains with quality. Pakistani rice\u2014especially Basmati\u2014is globally prized for its aroma, grain length, and flavor.
\nAnalysts stress that ongoing research should aim to integrate these premium traits into high-yield hybrids like PU786 to help Pakistan maintain its competitive edge and meet growing global demand for high-quality rice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD In a breakthrough gaining international attention, scientists from Pakistan and China have unveiled a new hybrid rice seed\u2014PU786\u2014that has the potential to triple per-acre yields.The innovation is set to revolutionize Pakistan\u2019s agricultural sector and significantly improve food security, Gwadar Pro reported on Wednesday. Developed jointly by Punjab University (PU) and China\u2019s Wuhan University, PU786 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":84701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85003"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85004,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85003\/revisions\/85004"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}