Dong Thap: Successful breeding of a new rice variety.

The Dong Thap Agricultural Seed Center has successfully bred a promising new rice variety for the 2013 Summer-Autumn crop, notably the DTS 9 variety, which can replace the low-quality rice varieties currently widely grown.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tai, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Thap province, the DTS 9 rice variety has advantages in high yield and good rice quality, meeting export requirements and can replace low-quality rice varieties currently in use.

Illustrative photo. (Source: Ho Cau/VNA)

Although its growth period is similar to other commonly used varieties, its strong, sturdy trunk and resistance to lodging make it a promising variety that needs further research, evaluation, and practical application to create a brand name characteristic of Dong Thap province.

DTS 9 is one of 19 promising new rice varieties named DTS (Dong Thap Seeds) selected after 4 years of the Dong Thap Agricultural Seed Center's project "Breeding and selecting new rice varieties with high yield, good quality, and adaptability to Dong Thap farming conditions."

According to assessments by the Agricultural Departments of districts and towns, and farmers in the province, the DTS 9 variety has outstanding advantages compared to other varieties among the 19 varieties developed by the breeding center. It is suitable for the Dong Thap region with its strong, robust stem, long and wide flag leaf (37cm long x 2cm wide), bright, firm grains, dense panicles, low disease susceptibility, and high yield (7.37 tons/ha). However, because the summer-autumn crop coincides with the annual flood season, the seed center needs to continue research and selection to further shorten the growth period, aiming to create short-duration varieties to meet the needs of flood-prone areas each year.

According to (VNA) - VT