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Floods: New Rice Seeds On The Way

20 December 2011

THAILAND - With climate change, floods, droughts & plant diseases making lives of farmers more difficult, Thai scientists have developed stronger seeds

A series of new rice varieties able to resist rising temperatures, drought, insect infestations and even flooding will become commercially available in a few years, a leading Thai researcher has announced, reports the Bangkok Post.

The growing natural threats that have resulted in huge losses for Thailand's farm sector in recent years have prompted local rice researchers to develop the new strains.

"Rice strains that can better resist rising temperature, disease and floods are on the way and will be in the market in 3-5 years," said Anek Silapapun, an executive vice-president of Bangkok Seeds Industry Co, a unit of the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group.

"The natural disasters of 2011, from the heavy drought early in the year to the recent widespread flooding, have reportedly damaged more than 10 million rai of rice fields nationwide, of which 9 million rai were submerged.

"We're focusing on any breed that can withstand the effects of frequent disasters, especially extended dry spells and hotter climates. Flooding is actually still not very common, but we're taking this threat seriously too," Dr Anek told a gathering of farmers in Nakhon Pathom's Kamphaeng Saen district earlier this month.

Bangkok Seeds has sent researchers to Hunan Agricultural University in China to study the development of rice strains that can thrive in extreme weather.

In an experimental trial, the Chinese institute successfully developed a new variety whose shoots sprout firmly even in temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius, said Dr Anek.

But the veteran researcher said developing new varieties is a time-consuming process.

For example, the company spent seven years developing its CP 304 variety hybrid rice seed featuring strong infestation resistance before offering it to the Thai market last year.

A newly developed pure-line variety, CP 111, was introduced this year as an alternative to the paddy that farmers normally use for replanting.

These varieties yield an average of 900 to 1,000 kilogrammes per rai, higher than the average Thai-rice yield of 450 kg/rai, and contains properties that fight insects that have plagued rice plantations for years such as brown planthoppers.

The flood crisis has pushed demand for rice seed heavily, but the Rice Department will not be able to meet annual demand forecast at 900,000 tonnes.

It produces only 100,000 tonnes of rice seed per year and has earmarked 72,000 tonnes for flood-hit farmers.

The Office of Agricultural Economics estimates the country will lose 3.5 to 4 million tonnes of rice from the floods, but production will revive quickly in some areas thanks to nutrients brought by the flow of water.

Thongchai Mala, dean of the agriculture faculty at Kasetsart University's Kamphaeng Saen campus, agreed, saying that soil quality in some submerged fields in Nakhon Pathom has even improved.

The immediate question is how to help the farmers return to a normal life quickly.

But Assoc Prof Dr Thongchai said many villagers are short of essentials needed to raise the next crop.

Therefore, the university has raised funds for its new "9 Seedlings, 99 Rai, 99 Million Trees" programme to support the flood victims and commemorate His Majesty the King's 84th birthday.

The nine crops in the scheme - tomatoes, eggplant, chillies, holy basil, lemon grass, sweet basil, katuri flowers, angled gourds and star gooseberry - are all easily grown.

The CP Group will participate by distributing rice seed to 99 farmers.

Montri Congtrakultien, the president of CP's Crop Integration Business Group, called the scheme an opportunity for farmers to improve their crop management and place more emphasis on post-harvest work such as soil analysis and fertiliser preparation.

Participating farmers will be advised on the proper use of farm machinery such as ploughing tractors to turn over the upper layer of the soil, transplanters to uproot rice seedling trays and cultivators, he said.

Chumpol Suwannakhet, a farmer with 33 rai in Kamphaeng Saen, said his land was less severely affected than in other districts of Nakhon Pathom.

The ample water allowed him to start planting his second rice crop right after the water receded to an appropriate level, and he expects a strong yield.

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