Pakistan agriculture scientist set a new record in Asia by successfully evolving five new best quality varieties of "long and extra long hybrid rice" in Pakistan in a short span of seven years.
According to details, Dr Ghulam Mustafa Avesi with 35 years rich experience in rice research, successfully conducted uninterrupted hectic field research in various rice growing areas for developing new varieties with best yield per acre for long and extra long hybrid rice, especially suitable to climatic condition of the areas for obtaining bumper crop than traditional rice crop.
Dr Avesi, who pursued PhD in Plant Breeding Genetics from University of Philippines in 1982, has been engaged in research with Guard Agricultural Research and Services in city since 2001 and during this period he developed five new hybrid rice varieties viz Guard-50,Guard-53 Guard-402,Guard-403 and latest variety which was recently evolved is Guard LP-3,an extra long rice while other four are long size rice varieties.
Project Director, Guard Agricultural Research and Services, Shahzad Ali Malik, who also visited China and other rice growing countries around the globe, said that "we are proud that eminent agri scientist associated with us has introduced one of the best five extra and long hybrid rice varieties in Pakistan, which have now become most popular and being cultivated in Sindh and Balochistan areas".
He said maximum average traditional rice yield per acre was nearly 40 maund but with cultivation of these five varieties yield has increased to 100 to 120 maund per acre which, he addded, is good omen for farmers He said rice of these varieties has also received tremendous response from foreign market as its taste is one of the best in the world.