16 Dec 2009, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Researchers in Bangladesh are now in the final stage of testing the three new rice varieties that they say will surely be able to survive the country’s annual floods. In most years more than about 20% of Bangladesh goes under water and millions of tones’ of rice get lost. Whereas the normal rice varieties can die even after two or three days’ submersion in the water, these tests shows that the new ones can survive for the longer period of time that can be more than two weeks.

The researchers also say that the new varieties could improve the country’s annual harvest. The Scientists at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) say that they hope that the government will approve these new varieties shortly and farmers will be able to start growing them before the next monsoon.

The new varieties can help Bangladesh deal with the impact of global warming, as the scientists fear that the floods are likely to get worse. Rice is a crop that is absolutely essential for the country’s survival. One of the varieties called Swarna-Sub1 has already been introduced successfully in India, whereas the other two have been developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute itself.

The scientists have not used genetic modification but through the cross-breeding techniques are able to introduce this flood-resistant gene to different rice varieties.

Work has also been done of developing the rice that can grow in salty water that will help the farmers in coastal areas, where the rising sea levels threaten to inundate farm land.