Rice varieties with low water requirements were produced by MATE specialists

The experiments were justified by the high water demand of the flooding technology, as the production of 1 kilogram of white rice requires 5,000 liters of water. Half as much or even less is enough for varieties that can be grown without flooding, and the methane emissions associated with cultivation are also lower – they wrote.

According to the announcement, one of the new varieties produced in Szarvas is outstanding, capable of yielding up to 10 tons per hectare, while the excellent cooking properties of the other variety were highlighted. There are already enough seeds available from both of them to start cultivation, and later they can also reach foreign partner institutions, they said in response to MTI’s question.

MATE emphasized that Hungary is still the northern border of rice cultivation in Europe, so it can also be considered a field laboratory. The Szarva farm is in constant contact with, for example, experts from Chile, which has similar climatic conditions, and educational and scientific cooperation has also been established with the most important partner country, the Philippines, they added.