Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, who was known for developing the first hybrid rice stains, passed away at the age of 91.
Yuan, crowned as “the father of hybrid rice”, had devoted all his life to the breeding of hybrid rice, which helped China work a wonder — feeding nearly one-fifth of the world’s population with less than 8 percent of the world’s total arable land.
The varieties have been so far grown in more than 40 countries, such as USA, Brazil, India, Vietnam, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
His biggest dream was to “enjoy the cool under the rice crops taller than men” and to solve global food scarcity.
Qu Dongyu, director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization mourned for Yuan on Twitter. “You were my inspiration. May you rest in peace,” he said.
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