A global symposium on hybrid rice, its development and applications will begin here from tomorrow, a senior official said.The 6th International Hybrid Rice Symposium (IHRS), held once in four years, is being jointly organised by the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and city-based Directorate of Rice Research (DRR).

Around 400 delegates comprising agricultural scientists and researchers among others from 30 countries will participate in the three-day event to be held at hotel Taj Krishna, DRR Project Director B C Viraktamath said. The conference offers a common platform for all stake-holders to deliberate on various areas of research like production of seeds pertaining to hybrid rice, he said.

Rice is the staple food crop grown in 115 countries across the globe and more than 90 per cent of it is being produced and consumed in Asia. India has the largest area (44 million hectares) under rice cultivation and stands second in production with 103 million tonne (annual production) after China, Viraktamath said. Hybrid rice is rice that has been created by crossing two different parental strains. China is first in world to develop and commercialise hybrid rice technology.

China could achieve food security with the adoption of this innovative technology, he said. In India, so far 59 rice hybrids have been released and area under cultivation is estimated to be around 2 million hectares during 2011, Viraktamath said, adding Andhra Pradesh is the hybrid rice seed capital as more than 85 per cent of seed is produced in Warangal and Karimnagar districts of the state. Prof Yuan Long Ping from China, who is called as the Father of Hybrid rice, leading policy makers and distinguished scientists are among the delegates who will attend the conference, he added.

-PTI