MARDI introduces higher yield, quick ripening specialty rice

The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has developed a new variety of specialty rice called MARDIRiceAroma (MARIA) which is said to mature faster and yield more compared with earlier varieties.

马来西亚农业研究与发展研究所（MARDI）开发了一种名为 MARDIRiceAroma（MARIA）的新型特种稻米，据说与早期品种相比成熟更快，产量更高。

Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, said the hybrid variety, also known as MRQ103, is a cross between the MRQ89 and MRQ50, and took 13 years to develop at a cost of nearly RM1 million.

农业和食品工业部长拿督斯里 Ronald Kiandee 博士表示，这种杂交品种，也称为 MRQ103，是 MRQ89 和 MRQ50 的杂交品种，花了 13 年时间开发，耗资近 100 万令吉。

He said MARIA, which grows to a height of 105cm, can be harvested in 117-120 days and yields over five metric tons per hectare. Whereas older varieties take more than 120 days to ripen, grow to about 119cm high and produce less per hectare.

他说，长到 105 厘米高的 MARIA 可以在 117-120 天内收获，每公顷产量超过 5 公吨。较老的品种需要 120 多天才能成熟，长到约 119 厘米高，每公顷产量更少。

“This variety also has medium resistance to rice blast disease and the brown planthopper, and is moderately vulnerable to bacterial and web blight, as well as tungro disease,” he told reporters at an event to introduce MARIA at Plot Petani Parit 1 Timur, here.

“这个品种对稻瘟病和褐飞虱也有中等的抗性，并且对细菌和网虫病以及桐树病的抵抗力中等，”他在 Plot Petani Parit 1 Timur 介绍 MARIA 的活动中告诉记者。

MARIA is a long, slender, aromatic and medium-amylose rice. It is also non-sticky, has a low glycaemic index and is a good option for diabetics, said Kiandee.

MARIA 是一种细长、芳香、中等直链淀粉的大米。Kiandee 说，它也不粘腻，血糖指数低，是糖尿病患者的好选择。

He said high demand for aromatic rice motivated MARDI to create 53 varieties of rice encompassing “40 normal varieties, 12 specialty rice and one hybrid variety.

他说，对香米的高需求促使 MARDI 创造了 53 个大米品种，其中包括“40 个普通品种、12 个特色大米和一个杂交品种”。

“A change in lifestyle and socioeconomic status in the past decade in Malaysia contributed to the rise in demand for high quality and healthy aromatic rice,” he said.

他说：“过去十年，马来西亚生活方式和社会经济地位的变化导致对优质健康香米的需求增加。”

Kiandee said that Syarikat Padi Pukal Parit 7 (Sekincan) Sdn Bhd has obtained the exclusive licence for MARIA production in a smart partnership with MARDI.

Kiandee 表示，Syarikat Padi Pukal Parit 7 (Sekincan) Sdn Bhd 已通过与 MARDI 的明智合作获得了 MARIA 生产的独家许可。

Kiandee also said that his Ministry distributed MARDI’s GENKiMO fertiliser to three area farmers' organisations (PPK) in Sungai Besar which proved to increase paddy yield by 25% after research was conducted in Sekinchan in Selangor, Kampung Sungai Rambai in Melaka, Tanjung Tualang in Perlis and Kampung Wasan in Brunei.

Kiandee 还表示，他的部门向 Sungai Besar 的三个地区农民组织（PPK）分发了 MARDI 的 GENKiMO 肥料，在雪兰莪 Sekinchan、马六甲的 Kampung Sungai Rambai、玻璃市的 Tanjung Tualang 进行研究后，结果证明稻谷产量增加了 25%。和文莱的Kampung Wasan。