New japonica rice variety planted in Sanya sees harvest

The first harvest of a new rice variety called "Jingjingxiang No 8" took place in Sanya's Yazhou district on May 6. The variety is well-suited to Hainan's ecology and climate, with good heat tolerance.

It is expected to fill the gap in the extension of japonica rice planting in Hainan province, and the average production of "Jingjingxiang 8" is estimated to reach 551.7 kilograms per mu (0.07 hectare).

Hainan, located in the tropics, has traditionally focused on cultivating indica rice due to the lack of high-quality japonica rice varieties.

Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City has, in recent years, launched scientific research projects to investigate the relevant conditions in Hainan and carried out pioneer planting of "Jingjingxiang 8" in selected cities and counties of Sanya, Qiongzhong, and Wenchang, bringing the total plantation area to 150 mu (10 hectares).

By studying the growth of japonica rice under various ecological conditions, the team can gain a comprehensive understanding and match the appropriate technology accordingly. This also allows for the selection of rice varieties with high production and strong resistance to diseases and insects, leading to an improvement in rice production and quality.

Wang Xiaoning, chief scientist of Hainan rice industry technology system, said that high-yield and efficient cultivation techniques will be implemented in the next step to improve the yield of "Jingjingxiang 8".