Technique to produce high-yield GMO rice in China using gene from maize still under academic discussion and not ready for practical application, expert says

Nevin Barich

BEIJING , January 6, 2014 (Xinhua News Agency) – A technique to produce high-yield rice genetically modified (GM) using a gene from maize is still under academic discussion and not ready for practical application, an expert said on Friday.

Deng Qiyun, chief scientist of China's hybrid rice national key laboratory and a student of Yuan Longping, known as "the father of hybrid rice," told Xinhua there is still a long way to go before the technique could be applied to actual production.

But Deng said there is still a lot of room to raise the yield of rice using conventional techniques. "A yield of 1,200 kg per mu (0.0667 hectares) is scientifically feasible," Deng said.

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