Indigenization of hybrid rice development in Pakistan: Breeding prospects and approaches

Abstract

Rice is an exportable commodity in Pakistan, earning a foreign exchange of almost two billion dollars
every year. The demand for rice has recently been increased due to surging wheat prices in the country and
food security issues. To cope with these issues there is an opportunity to exploit heterosis in the form of hybrid
development in rice. Hybrid rice is one of the emerging avenues in Pakistan. Pakistan is importing almost 500 tons
of hybrid seed every year from China and other countries at a cost of huge foreign exchange. Punjab Agriculture
Department claimed hybrid system development in Basmati rice and its testing is in process. There is a
possibility of hybrid system development in coarse rice by using a three-line and two-line hybrid system. The two-line
hybrid system is an emerging hybrid system nowadays in China, Philippines, India, and Bangladesh. There is a need
to import novel genetic material from China, IRRI and other sources for the strengthening of indigenous hybrid
rice breeding. In a two-line hybrid system Japonica type rice genotypes were mostly utilized as a source of male
sterility and restorer lines are used that can produce seed under hot climatic conditions. Pakistan has favorable
climatic zones for the two-line hybrid system of rice like