Odia Scientists Dr Kshirod Jena discovered World's most salt-resistant rice

                   Odisha Born Scientists Dr. Kshirod Jena have discovered a rice variety with double the salt tolerance of any other rice in the world.Scientists at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have crossed two different species of rice to produce new rice that has double the salt tolerance of existing rice varieties.In another four years, this new type of rice with high tolerance of salinity may become available to Indian farmers.

                  Unlike regular rice, the new rice line can expel salt it takes from the soil into the air through salt glands it has on its leaves, explained Dr. Jena.The new rice was bred by successfully crossing (or mating) two different rice parents - the exotic wild rice species Oryza coarctata and rice variety IR56 of the cultivated rice species O sativa.


                According to Dr. Jena, O coarctata can tolerate a higher salinity concentration (similar to that of seawater), whereas current salinity-tolerant rice varieties can cope with only half that concentration.

Source: TOI, Sambad