PASIR SALAK, July 14 — The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (MAFS), via the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), introduced two new padi varieties to address the weedy rice issue in the country.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the development of the new MR CL3 and MR CL4 varieties was the result of a strategic collaboration between Mardi and BASF (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd over the past 20 years.
“MR CL3 and MR CL4 mature earlier, at 99 days, and have a yield potential of over seven tonnes per hectare,” he said during the launch of the new Clearfield padi varieties at the Felcra Berhad Seed Centre today.
Also present were MAFS secretary-general Datuk Seri Isham Ishak, Perak Rural Development, Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun, Mardi Governing Board chairman Azman Ismail, and Mardi director-general Datuk Mohamad Zabawi Abdul Ghani.
Mohamad added that both varieties are also resistant to leaf and neck blast diseases and can be utilised under current MAFS initiatives, including the five padi planting seasons in two years programme and the Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (Smart SBB) programme.
As for the commercialisation of the new varieties, it will be carried out through the Clearfield Production System, which includes padi varieties, imidazolinone herbicide (Trek), and stewardship guidelines, to tackle the weedy rice issue.
He said the MR CL3 and MR CL4 varieties were specifically bred to be resistant to imidazolinone herbicides.
Weedy rice, also known as ‘padi angin’ in Malaysia, is a problematic weed that can significantly reduce crop yields.
Earlier, Mohamad also officiated the new Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) Complex in Seberang Perak.
— Bernama
