The implications of cultivating high-yielding varieties

The scientific breakthrough, which seems to have opened entirely new possibilities for the application of technology to agriculture, occurred in the breeding of high-yielding varieties of wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and millet. The research which culminated in the biological breakthrough resulted in the combination of the desirable characteristics of the japonica with those of the indicas. The japonica is characterized by dwarfism which is associated with high grain yield, stiff stem which reduces the susceptibility to lodging and thus increases yield, and erect and thrifty leafy growth which facilitates proper photosynthesis, i.e. enables the plant to get maximum heat and shortens the growth duration. Indicas possess better grain quality due to seed dormancy and greater resistance to diseases in tropical conditions.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Reduced Inequalities