Hybrid seeds will help raise rice productivity: Study

Rice output in India can be raised at least 15-20 per cent through increased use of hybrid seeds, a Rabobank study said. The use of technologically advanced seeds is currently much lower in the production of rice than in other crops.

Of the total annual rice output in India — around 99 million tonnes, according to US Department of Agriculture estimates for the 2012-13 season — only three per cent is produced through hybrid seeds. The remaining quantity comes through breeding of conventional seeds.

Since the genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis rice is not allowed for commercialisation in India, scientists and technocrats would have to focus only on improved variety of hybrid seeds to raise productivity. “The primary focus for rice research should be on developing hybrids with improved productivity and acceptable cooking quality requirements. Hybrid rice has the potential to raise production between 15-20 per cent,” the study said.

The existing guidelines mandate any hybrid seed to be able to deliver at least 10 per cent higher output than the normal conventional seeds in that category. Some of the circulating hybrid rice seeds, however, deliver over 10 per cent of additional output in favourable climatic conditions.

Comparing India’s presence in hybrid rice with China, the study said the world’s largest producer had made great strides in production by undertaking hybrid cultivation in a major way. Almost half of China’s total area under rice is covered by hybrid varieties, and a similar approach could be taken in India. The Indian government is already focusing on hybrid cultivation in the eastern states and needs to extend this practice to the rest of the countryit said.

Currently, hybrids are limited to the northern and eastern parts of India due to the nature of the grain, not preferred in many parts of the country. To expand the market, companies need to invest in research to develop hybrids suitable for western and southern India. Some of the ‘must have’ factors for entering and expanding India’s presence in hybrid paddy are high yield advantage over other varieties, good genetic purity, suitability for a wider geographical area and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

The initial research for vegetables and oilseeds has shown excellent results in fruit and vegetables such as okra, bottle gourd, watermelon, musk melons, tomatoes, etc. There could be immense scope for developing hybrids for some novelty vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, baby corn, lettuce and asparagus.

Therefore, private companies should have access to advanced hybrids or else they will need to focus their research on developing hybrids with tolerance to viral infections. The same is true for oilseeds, and continuous effort towards productivity/quality improvement is needed for developing superior quality hybrids in the future.

Large seed producing companies, including Bayer Crop Science, Dow Agro Sciences, Pioneer, Monsanto and Syngenta are currently active in both upstream technology and downstream distribution activities in the Indian seed market. These companies have strong research base with high spends on research and development operations for new traits development, and a good germplasm base of their own.

The study suggests that multi-national corporations in India should continue to focus on acquiring domestic companies with a good local germplasm base and good distribution strength in the seeds space, but they should also be on the lookout for agrochemical companies strong in developing new chemistries.