Southeast Missouri State University signed a hybrid rice agreement with Louisiana State University, University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, and Texas A & M University to cooperate in breeding hybrid rice.

F1 hybrid rice is the result of the pollination between two different parent varieties. Hybrid rice has more plant vigor which results in higher yields, better disease tolerance and larger producer profits than pure-line variety.

This is the first time hybrid rice will be bred in Missouri. Southeast currently uses pure-line rice varieties from other universities but is in the process of developing its own hybrid rice variety.

“With Southeast being one of the cooperating institutions in this agreement and thegoal being to increase rice grain yields by 20 percent, the University has the opportunity to be recognized as an emerging agriculture institution,” says Dr. Michael Aide, chair of the Department of Agriculture.