January 24, 2005

China's own new generation corn

China has now developed its own new generation corn with independent intellectual property rights after many years of tests and experiments.

Corn is China's second most important food crop. The country's rain production is expected to shoot up with this new generation corn promising higher yields and quality.

For the moment, 400 million mu of corn will be planted yearly. With average yield per mu at less than 400kg, it is estimated that the country will gain 6 million kg of corn in addition, if 40 million mu of the new generation corn is planted annually.

With arable land becoming more scarce in China, the new generation corn is an important scientific and research project for China's agriculture industry, not unlike the development of new generation rice.

Four varieties of corn have been selected out after evaluation. The total yield reached 900kg per mu (1 hectare = 15 mu), merely 100kg less than that required for standard new generation corn in the world.

Agricultural scientists said China has independent intellectual property rights over the technologies in developing, evaluating and planting the new generation corn.