Perennial Rice, as its name implies, is rice that can be harvested many years without reseeding, due to the regeneration of rhizome.Oryza longistaminata, is a perennial wild rice species from the same genus as cultivated rice, such as Oryza sativa. It is considered to be the ideal perenniality donor for perennial rice, as it has strong rhizome (vegetative propagation), and the same AA genome as Oryza sativa.
Perennial rice technology is a green and sustainable agricultural technology, as it has many benefits for farmers and rice production. Compared with traditional rice production, the perennial rice production process saves production costs (50 percent from the second season), with less use of chemical fertilizer, irrigation water and crop management input; perennial rice production also requires less labour input and reduced labour intensity.Perennial rice technology is a simplified, green and sustainable agricultural technology, which has significant social, economic and environmental impacts.
Perennial rice production reduces soil erosion for rice fields or upland, as it does not require tillage after the first transplant. At the same time, perennial rice yields are as high as traditional rice yields.
Perennial rice is a good solution for rice production nowadays. It will change the way rice is produced, and achieve balance among environmental protection, economic development and food security.
Problems addressed:
1) Environmental problems such as soil erosion caused by annual rice production systems, especially upland rice production, although yields are high.
2) With economic development, labour shortages in rural regions are becoming increasingly severe.
Potential improvement: reduced soil erosion for rice fields or upland, as the technique does not require tillage after the first transplant. Reduced labour intensity.
Yunnan University – (Shilai Zhang, liyu Huang, Guangfu Huang, Jing Zhang, Yi Zhang, Fengyi Hu)
Chenggong University Town,
650091 Kunming,
China
www.nxy.ynu.edu.cn/info/1054/1152.htm
Tel: 008613187862534
Sources: FAO-Agroecology Knowledge Hub website
http://www.fao.org/agroecology/database