New Rice for Africa
NERICA (New Rice for Africa, " New Rice for Africa" ) are emerged from crosses of rice varieties that have been developed by the West Africa Rice Development Association, to increase the income of African rice species.
Although 240 million people in West Africa cover the majority of the required calories and protein intake by rice, the vast quantity of rice is imported. This incurs costs of about one billion U.S. dollars. An adequate self-catering rice production is therefore to improve both the nutritional status and the economic development in West Africa.
African and Asian rice
African rice ( Oryza glaberrima ) has been cultivated for 3500 years and is well adapted to African environmental conditions. It is characterized by a particularly lush plant growth, which inhibits weed; it is also resistant to drought in Africa and domestic pests and plant diseases. However, African rice yields relatively low yields, as it bends when the panicles are too heavy. The grains can also smash what the income is further reduced.
The growing African rice was abandoned in favor of Asian rice species ( Oryza sativa). Asian rice varieties, however, are poorly adapted to African conditions, and their cultivation requires large amounts of water. Asian rice can not inhibit weed growth as it has been specially bred to short stature and vulnerable among African conditions for pests and diseases.
New Rice for Africa
The "New Rice for Africa" was created by crossing O. sativa and O. glaberrima. Since these varieties can not be crossed in a natural way, a special technique was used ( " embryo rescue" ) to ensure that hybrids survive and reach maturity. The new rice shows heterosis effect, the phenomenon will grow faster in the offspring of genetically different parents, are more productive and better able to withstand taken as each of the initial plants for themselves stress.
Key features of the new rice varieties include:
- Rispenvergrößerung 75-100 to 500 grains per panicle
- Increases in yield of 1 ton per hectare to 2.5 tons per hectare; Revenue growth over five tons per hectare in fertilizer
- Contain two percent more protein than the African and Asian varieties output
- They grow taller than most varieties of rice, which facilitates the harvesting
- They are better adapted to diseases, drought and infertile soils than Asian rice varieties
Future prospects
It is estimated that if a quarter of the rice farmers in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone to grow NERICA varieties, 20 million U.S. dollars can be saved per year. NERICA could be used for other dry areas will be useful, including Latin America and Asia.
The Sierra Leonean scientist Monty Jones, who played a leading role in the development of NERICA was awarded the 2004 World Food Prize and counted by the Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2007. The continuous rise of African rice production in the last six years is attributed to a large extent on the dissemination of NERICA.