'Father of rice': Yuan Longping, who developed the first hybrid rice strains, dies at 91

Yuan Longping, China’s agronomist who is known to boost the rice harvests in the country during the Cultural Revolution era with hybrid varieties and is also recognised as the ‘father of hybrid rice’ has passed away at the age of 91 on May 22, reported news agency Xinhua. Reportedly, he died in a hospital in Changsha, the capital city of central Hunan Province around 1 PM on Saturday (local time). However, the report did not specify the illness that Longping succumbed to. He was also among the first batch in 2019 of “Republic Medal” recipients, the highest order of honour in China.

Longping cultivated the world’s first high-yielding hybrid rice strain in 1973, eventually, it grew into a large scale production in China as well as other nations to raise output. As per the report, it was his research that “pulled countless people out of hunger” as food security and self-supply efficiency remains China’s communist regime’s topmost priority. Longping was also the honorary chairman of Shenzhen-listed Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co. which is a seed maker controlled by Chinese conglomerate CITIC Group.

Condolences pour in for Longping and his family

Soon after the news was reported by Xinhua, condolences started pouring for Longping and his family on social media. Chinese Foreign Minister spokesperson Lijian Zhao also posted a heartfelt message for ‘father of rice’ and hailed his contribution to fighting hunger in the country. Zhao said “rest in peace” and shared an image of the agronomist who was born in 1930. The image also showed the famous and most recalled lines by Longping that said, “Everyone in the world should have enough eat.”

While his high-yielding hybrid strain developing technique was used across the globe, in the following four decades after 1973, the ‘father of rice’ continued to research and upgrade hybrid rice. As per reports, the research has reached its third generation with Longping conducting a study in a seed breeding base in Hainan. In China, reportedly rice is the staple for the majority of the 1.4 billion population and reportedly the planting area of hybrid rice has exceeded 16 million hectares, which helps food supply to 80 million people in a year.

IMAGE:  @Jiaqi_Shih/Twitter