Thailand develops fragrant rice resistant to insects and drought

According to the Sunday Nation newspaper of Thailand, the country's Thammasat University has introduced a new aromatic rice variety, which is more resistant to drought and pest, giving higher yields and can be grown in season or off-season.

Photo: vip-rice.com

Notably, the new rice variety is not a genetically modified product and has a better quality than the previous aromatic rice variety 105.

On March 5, Thammasat University registered a patent for the new rice variety at the Thai Ministry of Agriculture.

Professor Boonhong Chongkid of Thammasat University's Department of Agricultural Technology said that it only takes 60 days to produce flowers, while 105 rice takes about 100 days. The yield of the new rice variety is from 900kg to 1.2 tons / 1,600m ² , higher than the figure of 500kg / 1600m ² of rice variety 105.

According to Professor Boonhong, this new rice variety is expected to be sent to farmers in Pathum Thani province, near the Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University, to be tested before mass planting in other central provinces.