BEIJING: Chinese researchers have announced a major breakthrough in hybrid rice cloning that could change the way hybrid rice seeds are produced and strengthen global food security.
A research team led by Wang Kejian from the China National Rice Research Institute identified a rice gene called HUAXU, which allows hybrid rice egg cells to produce offspring without fertilization through a process known as parthenogenesis.
According to the study, published in the journal Vita, the researchers combined the HUAXU gene with a cloned gamete strategy to develop several rice lines that achieved cloning efficiencies of nearly 100 percent.
The technology maintained a cloning efficiency of more than 99 percent across different hybrid rice varieties, multiple generations, large planting populations, and field trials, while keeping crop yields at normal levels.
Researchers said the achievement marks an important step toward developing a “one-line hybrid rice” system, which would allow hybrid rice to reproduce through seeds without losing its hybrid advantages over successive generations.
Wang Kejian explained that the current two-line and three-line hybrid rice systems require fresh seed production every year because the next generation cannot fully retain the superior traits of hybrid plants. The new technology aims to overcome this long-standing challenge by preserving hybrid vigor through seed cloning.
If successfully commercialized, the one-line system could allow farmers to reuse seeds from hybrid crops without losing productivity, reducing the need for annual seed production and lowering costs.
Scientists believe the breakthrough could significantly improve crop breeding, increase agricultural productivity, and provide new technological support for global food security in the years ahead.
