BEIJING: Chinese and Pakistani agricultural experts have highlighted the progress of joint research on Honglian-type hybrid rice and its potential to significantly increase rice productivity and farmers’ incomes in Pakistan.
The developments were discussed at the 2nd International Symposium on Improved-Variety Breeding of Honglian Type Hybrid Rice, held in Luotian, Hubei province, China, where researchers from both countries reviewed collaborative achievements and the economic benefits of Honglian hybrid rice for Pakistani growers.
Honglian hybrid rice was developed by the late academician Zhu Yingguo of Wuhan University and is one of the world’s three major cytoplasmic male sterility systems used in hybrid rice breeding. The variety is known for its heat tolerance, broad adaptability and quality grain, and is cultivated in parts of China as well as Belt and Road partner countries, including Pakistan, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Qu Wenqian, Deputy Party Secretary of Wuhan University, said Honglian hybrid rice had generated more than RMB 9 billion in direct economic benefits in China and Belt and Road partner countries.
Professor Zhu Renshan of Wuhan University said the Luotian base contributes to domestic seed security while also sharing technological expertise to support food security among international partners.
Speaking at the symposium, Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq of the University of the Punjab said around one-third of Pakistan’s rice cultivation area is devoted to coarse rice, and production could potentially double if hybrid varieties are adopted.
He identified significant potential for hybrid rice cultivation in Sindh, Balochistan and southern Punjab, saying the adoption of Honglian-type hybrid rice could substantially increase production and contribute billions of rupees to farmers’ incomes and Pakistan’s economy.
China-Pakistan cooperation in this field has been strengthened through the establishment of the Joint Research Center of Honglian Type Hybrid Rice by Wuhan University and the University of the Punjab in 2020.
Following multi-location trials across Pakistan’s four major rice-growing zones, HP4, one of nine hybrid lines tested, was officially registered in Pakistan as PU-786 in 2025.
After receiving national commercial approval, the variety entered commercial cultivation across Pakistan in 2026. Researchers say PU-786 offers advantages including heat tolerance, resistance to pests and diseases, and adaptability to water shortages and degraded soils, challenges that increasingly affect agricultural production in Pakistan.
The collaboration is expected to support Pakistan’s efforts to improve rice productivity, strengthen climate-resilient agriculture and enhance food security while creating new economic opportunities for farmers.
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