"We are this year all set to launch multi-location testing of hybrids with BLB resistant parental material. Initially, we have planned to sow these seeds at three sites in Punjab and two sites in Sindh. In Punjab, we will be re-evaluating these seeds at Sheikhupura and Gujranwala and at one other place while in Sindh it will be tested in Larkana districts," said ESL CEO Sajjad Malik while talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday.
The company was conducting research to develop hybrids having resistance against diseases and development of a hybrid of 'Super Basmati' at its Farooqabad research centre since May 2001. Both the varieties are ready to hit the market after re-evaluation through different tests to help rice farmers fight against these diseases and get maximum per acre yield adding to more surplus production for export or domestic usage.
The company has developed 20 medium grain CMS lines, four Basmati Lines including the famous 'Super Basmati' having excellent eating and cooking quality have been converted into CMS lines, about 400 Restorer and Maintainer Lines. Moreover, two basmati hybrids have also been developed with yield potential of around 8 tons per hectare.
Dr Mohammad Bashir Cheema, head of the research programme, started the research programme in collaboration with Chinese counterpart but continued to develop parental lines and hybrids after Chinese left in 2005. The new hybrids developed are the result of indigenous result carried out by the Pakistani scientists, said Sajjad Malik.
Sajjad Malik and Dr Cheema in a recent visit of selected journalists to their Farooqabad Farm while talking to journalists said that a very big achievement at this research farm was the establishment of 'Shuttle Breeding Programme' at the research site for increasing the pace of development of rice hybrids and parental lines within the country. "This was the first rice shuttle breeding programme in Pakistan's plant breeding history and since then two generations of breeding material are being produced each year as opposed to normal breeding programmes wherein only a single generation is produced annually. Till date Emkay Agricultural Research Center is the only organisation in the country which has the expertise of this rice shuttle breeding either in the private or public sector," Dr Cheema proudly added.
The research programme of Emkay, also, is unique in the manner that the foreign companies working in Pakistan with local partners do not provide with the complete three-line system of hybrid rice. So, a disturbing fact is that whenever the foreign companies want, they can effectively stop their Pakistani partners from hybrid rice seed production, Sajjad Malik concluded.