Annual Report of Rice Research Institute of Iran

 Dr. Hossieni at the annual report meeting of 2020-2021with Dr. Bazargan: Kian, the new drought-tolerant rice cultivar

Rasht, Iran, Rice Research Institute of Iran, Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2021. According to the official website of the Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Organization (AREE), the annual reports webinar meeting 2020-2021 of research institutes of AREEO was held on, Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2021. This meeting participated by Dr. Bazargan director-general of AREEO and deputy of ministry of Jahad Agriculture; Hujjat al-Islam val Muslemin Saeediyan representation of the Supreme Leader in AREEO; Dr. Mahmoudi, Deputy of development management and resources; Dr. Javadi, deputy of research and technology; Dr. Moayedi, deputy of education and extension; Dr. Valadan, planning and economic affairs and the other related administration office managers. 

   Dr. Bazargan Said: I thank and praise the RRII efforts, research plans, and farmer-based achievements. The road map of RRII in all research disciplines is ever-growing and desirable. He also added that the research achievements of RRII for the rice agricultural sector have a high influence coefficient. The approach of megaprojects transfers the responsibilities of RRII to wider, deeper and research for development activities in the rice industry. Therefore, the RRII must enter into the economy of rice production on the macro perspective scale. 

He also asked the RRII to answer this question scientifically that is the rice production in the country scale indeed of northern paddy fields possible, environmentally friendly, and sustainable without pressure on irrigation water resources.

“The country is in severe irrigation water scarcity period and the RRII correctly started the direct seeding research area, therefore, I strongly recommended to release a full package of this new cultivation system requirements such as herbicides, pest control, harvesting technology, harvesting machinery, dryer, post-harvesting technologies, quantity and quality of direct seeding rice cultivars for farmers”, Dr. Bazargan recommended to RRII director-general.   

 For the upcoming national farm day, he also suggested that RRII must prepare the best conditions of research farm for pioneer farmer to compare the differences of released and introduced rice varieties on-farm and the farmer. To increase and promote the attitude of the farmer, the RRII should prepare the newly introduced rice grain and give them to the farmer as a souvenir of RRII.

The annual report webinar meeting of 2020-2021 continued by Dr. Hossieni, Director General of RRII’s annual report. The most important sections of his presentation were:

1- Introducing the rice varieties, Gilar, Tolu, and Kian

Kian is a drought-tolerant, short duration (earliness), high cooking and eating grain quality rice variety which is implemented by RRII in collaboration with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (NARI).

Tolu rice variety is a short duration variety (averagely, 105-110 days), with an average yield of 6 to 6.5 tons per hectare, semi-dwarf (20 cm shorter than local rice varieties), and has the same cooking and eating grain quality compared to common local rice varieties.

Gilar rice variety is a short duration variety (averagely, 105-110 days), with an average yield of 6 to 6.5 tons per hectare, semi-dwarf (20 cm shorter than local rice varieties), and has the same cooking and eating grain quality compared to common local rice varieties.

2- The proper agronomy bulletin of Direct Seeding for all rice-growing areas of the country.

3- The screening of aerobic rice 

4- Determination of aerobic rice irrigation requirement

5- Technical bulletin for triticale cultivation in the rice paddy fields to increase rice-based cropping system farmers’ income and livestock feeding

6- the RRII increased the foundation seeds of rice(elite) and super-elite by about four times 

7- Increasing of certified seeds and mass purification of local rice variety, Hashemi, around 67500 hectares of paddy fields were covered by Hashemi certified seeds. Higher yield, higher price, lower seed consumption, and production costs were the direct benefits of this project.

8- RRII started using smart technologies (Internet of things) to send the latest research finding to farmers’ fields 

9- Serious attention on research infrastructures