Dr. Ajay Kohli, a top agricultural scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, has shared exciting news about rice research. He explained that new rice varieties could be developed to use half as much nitrogen without reducing crop yields. This change could bring major benefits, such as lower urea consumption in rice farming, better soil quality, and improved human health.
Dr. Kohli was the keynote speaker at a special conference titled “Rice Research for a Better Future,” held at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University in Rajendranagar on Tuesday. He was invited by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aldas Janaiah.
During his speech to scientists and research students, Dr. Kohli highlighted how rice varieties developed by IRRI have greatly improved food security in Asia. He pointed out that the IR-8 and IR-64 rice varieties are widely grown and have significantly increased rice production in India.
As part of his visit, Dr. Kohli toured the Rice Research Institute and the Institute of Biotechnology at Jayashankar Agricultural University. He discussed ongoing research projects with scientists and encouraged efforts to modernize the Institute of Biotechnology. He stressed that current research is focused on developing new rice varieties that could revolutionize rice farming in the near future.
Another expert, Dr. Samarendu Mahanti, a World Food Prize awardee, also spoke at the event. He suggested that Telangana should promote rice varieties suited to Southeast Asia’s needs. This, he said, could help farmers earn more money and increase rice exports. He also recommended setting up modern rice mills and providing proper training for millers to further benefit farmers.
The event was attended by many prominent figures, including Dr. Meenakshi Sundaram, Director of the Indian Rice Research Institute, and Dr. Balaram, Director of Research at the Agricultural University. Senior officials, scientists, and research students from the university also participated.
After the conference, Professor Jayashankar, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Aldas Janaiah, Dr. Ajay Kohli, and Dr. Samarendu Mahanti met with Telangana State Agriculture Secretary M. Raghunandan Rao at the Secretariat to discuss further developments in rice research and agriculture.
