Special Radio Interview of Dr. Hossieni Director General of Rice Research Institute of Iran with Darich (Window) program of Guilan Province Radio Channel (Baran) of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcaster

General of Rice Research Institute of Iran attended on Darich (Window) program of Guilan Province Radio Channel (Baran) of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcaster on Sunday, October 19, 2021. In answer to a Radio host about the rice sector challenges, introduced the RRII’s past, present, and future plans to increase rice production in the rice-growing area of the country, and the latest research achievements of RRII.

Dr. Hossieni Director General of Rice Research Institute of Iran: The main research objectives of the Rice Research Institute of Iran, and more broadly the Ministry of Jahad Agriculture focus on increasing the rice grain yield as well as enhancing the cooking and eating quality of rice by introducing new improved varieties.

In this 45 minutes program, Dr. Hossieni Director General of Rice Research Institute of Iran has discussed and answered all questions about Climate change and its consequent effects on water shortage in the rice-growing season, and scientific and practical solutions for sustainable rice production in the current condition. She also pointed out the future research plans of RRII on climate change.

In the first part of this radio program, an agricultural meteorologist has explained and analyzed the most important climatic factor (rainfall) in the coming autumn and winter of Guilan province and its related basin.

In response to a question about the importance of rice in the food basket of the Iranian people, she said: Rice is the world’s second most important cereal crop. Next to wheat, rice is a staple food for Iranian people (particularly, rice-growing area of the North)  and plays a vital role in food security at the national level. So we look at this crop very strategically. To respond to the country call,  the RRII coordinates the development of a rice strategy for the region. This call was made in the backdrop of the food demand and increased attention being paid to the development of the rice sector by national governments and research agencies.

In response to a question about the RRII’s program to improve and increase the cooking and eating quality of rice, Dr. Hosseini, General of Rice Research Institute of Iran, added: The RRII as a national research institute is a trusted source of rice knowledge for the country’s rice industry. Facing global challenges, we need continuous access to new varieties and their growing requirement packages to maintain the rice sectors. Therefore, we try to take effective steps to issue the last research findings’ to rice farmers. The RRII’s aims and programs are categorized into two important categories: Breeding and Agronomic activities.

Breeding programs focus on introducing new varieties of rice that are tailored to the farmers’ needs and consumer tastes and preferences. To cope with this challenge we tried to provide new varieties to farmers more quickly. In this regard, during the last 3 years, 6 new rice cultivars have been introduced to the paddy community by the RRII. The new rice varietal introduced are classified into three groups:

Group 1: Good to high-quality varieties with reasonable grain yield. These varieties were released and introduced to replace some local cultivars to increase the average yield per unit area because they have higher yields than local cultivars.  Gilar and Anam are the most important cultivars of this group.

Group 2: High-potential cultivars with high yield and suitable cooking quality. These varieties were released and introduced to replace previously introduced high yield improved rice cultivars. During the last three years, three cultivars of high-potential categories have been introduced by the Rice Research Institute of Iran. Rash, Tisa, and Tolou cultivars which were earlier mature than the previous high potential cultivars consumed less irrigation water and better cooking and eating quality than group 1.

Group 3: Cultivars are tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought and water shortage crisis, and the latest cultivar introduced in this field is called Kian, which was produced in collaboration with the Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute. The last 30 days of the growing season do not require irrigation water.

The combination of these six cultivars and the rest of the cultivars, which has reached 55 cultivars so far, has been introduced by the Rice Research Institute of Iran, together with purified native cultivars, they can contribute to increase grain yield production and also can introduce for cultivation in various climatic regions.

He also said that locally produced rice has healthy rice standards, and in fact, Iranian rice is one of the highest quality and healthiest rice produced in the world. It is based on the fact that in all breeding and agricultural programs, attention to taste and aroma, and healthy food are seriously considered.

She also added that the monitoring of the cultivation of new cultivars Kian and Anam in different parts of the province revealed that the farmers were completely satisfied with the cultivation of these two cultivars. Farmers who had cultivated Kian cultivar reported that this cultivar tolerates water shortage and very good cooking quality. The farmers who had cultivated the early and good quality Anam cultivar also expressed their satisfaction with the tolerance of this cultivar to lodging, the high yield, and the very good cooking quality of this cultivar.

Dr. Hossieni Director General of Rice Research Institute of Iran: The Rice Research Institute Iran has organized various training courses, and workshops (In-person and online), publishing extension booklet and bulletins, technical reports, posters, and infographic design, and also the formation of a group of specific researchers to monitoring rice paddy fields, research and extension projects, and on-farm and etc., play a vital role to increase rice grain yield. In this regard, we must use capabilities, opportunities, and abilities in all media.

Dr. Hossieni stated that my request to everyone in the rice industry is to support farmers and local rice production, especially improved cultivars, due to the reduction of production costs and also the reduction of prices for the consumer.

In the end, he expressed hope that the efforts of the RRII could increase self-reliance and bring rice production to the border of self-sufficiency.