Hybrid rice succeeding in Africa, Pakistan | 汉产杂交水稻在非洲和巴基斯坦“播种”

　　Su Zhongxiang, who has worked in foreign countries and regions to promote hybrid rice for a decade, was recently recognized among the first recipients of the Wuhan Talents in Modern Agriculture award.

　　十年来一直在国外从事杂交水稻推广工作的苏忠祥，最近刚获评首批“武汉英才”计划培育支持专项现代农业领域人才。

　　Su Zhongxiang works in rice field.

　　Su, the rice technology supervisor for Wuhan Qingfa-Hesheng Seed Co. Ltd., is working in the rice fields abroad since he left the country for Uganda in eastern Africa in 2013 to start hybrid rice cultivation, conduct experimental demonstrations and promote technology.

　　苏中想是武汉庆发禾盛农业发展有限公司的水稻技术主管。2013年他前往东非国家乌干达，开展杂交水稻品种选育、试验示范和技术推广工作。此后，他一直忙碌在海外的田间地头。

　　In Pakistan in 2015, Su and his team successfully developed a new high-quality hybrid rice variety, code named IQS479 with disease and heat resistance. The variant has a high yield and is suitable for the local climate, Su said.

　　2015年踏上巴基斯坦，苏中想带着团队，成功选育出适应当地气候的抗病、耐热高产优质新品种杂交水稻IQS479。他说，该品种产量高，适合当地的气候。

　　Before the new high-quality hybrid rice variety was developed, Su and his team had frequently visited villages to understand residents' climate and crop planting habits.

　　在开发新的优质杂交水稻品种之前，苏中想带着团队走村入户在田间地头了解当地气候和作物种植习惯。

　　In addition to collecting data, Su and his team have steadily improved their planting methods and used the best available.

　　他们搜集了大量资料，结合实际不断改进种植技术方案，选出最佳种植模式。

　　In the daytime, they go to the fields to select rice under the scorching sun and conducted molecular marker experiments at night.

　　白天，他们头顶烈日下田选育，晚上挑灯做分子标记实验。

　　In the previous 10 years, the overseas experimental rice fields guided by Su have expanded dozens of times. He has also set up overseas experimental centers, which have successively developed a number of rice varieties suitable for different regions and climates.

　　走出国门10年，苏中想指导种植的海外中试面积扩大了几十倍。经过不断努力，苏中想带领团队在海外建立试验站，陆续选育出多个适于不同地区的优良品种。

　　Meanwhile Su has established overseas technical promotion groups and a technical guidance team (with the participation of Chinese technicians and Pakistani members) to help improve the unit yield and heat resistance of rice in the countries and regions related to the Belt and Road Initiative.

　　苏中想还组建由中方技术员领队和巴方成员参加的技术宣讲团、技术指导团，提高了“一带一路”国家水稻单产及抗热性。

　　The rice yield guided by Su and his team has increased by as much as 30 percent, significantly augmenting the incomes of local farmers and creating myriad employment opportunities in Pakistan, which has become the largest importer of hybrid rice seeds from China.

　　在苏中想和团队指导下，水稻产量甚至能提升30%，显著提高了当地农民的收入，带动大量农民就业。目前，巴基斯坦是中国杂交水稻种子最大的进口国。

　　Su has now registered seven scientific research varieties in foreign countries, with a total export volume exceeding 10,000 metric tons, earning more than $60 million.

　　至今，苏中想负责的科研品种在国外登记7个，累计出口突破10000吨，创汇超6000万美元。

　　Su said he would further strengthen quality control to ensure that only quality Chinese seeds are sold abroad in the coming months.

　　苏中想说，还将为出口种子质量把关，让汉产好种子更快、更多地卖到全球。

　　(Edited by Ye Shiyu)