Professor Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice, expressed hope that he would be able to grow more crop on less farmland.

The 77-year-old scientist is currently visiting United College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from March 10 to March 18 as the Distinguished Visiting Scholar on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the college.

Professor Yuan is the pioneer of hybrid rice research and he has been doing the research since 1960s.

The scientist invented the hybrid rice and was also the first scientist to have successfully changed the self-pollinating characteristics of rice.

His hard work and dedication made large-scale farming of hybrid rice possible, thus making the nation self-reliant on rice.

Talking about the farmers' glee and their overwhelming response to his concept of hybrid rice, Professor Yuan recalled how an old farmer in Hunan Province went ecstatic over the phase 1 breeding of super hybrid rice.

"Thank you for teaching me how to plant the super hybrid rice. I've never had such a good harvest in forty years' of my experience in rice farming. I have the highest regard for you fellow scientists," the professor said reminiscing the words of the farmer.

Apart from being highly productive, the hybrid rice is also tasty.

Recalling another incident, Professor Yuan, currently director-general of the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Centre, said three years ago some reporters from Hong Kong and Shenzhen had a chance to taste the rice. A young female reporter had 2 bowls of rice.

In another incident, a rich businessman even had three bowls of rice and had taken the rice home for his families.

Under the super rice breeding programme set up by China Ministry of Agriculture, a total of 10.5 tons of hybrid rice per hectare was produced for phase I from 1996 to 2000.

The yield target was increased to 12 tons per hectare for phase II from 2001 to 2005, with the target achieved in 2004.

Professor Yuan said phase III breeding was well underway, and was confident that it could be achieved in 2010.

For example, 60 million acres of farmland can yield 80 million of crops. The 20 million acres of left-over farmland can be put into other good use such as cultivation of fruits and vegetables, he added.

Calling the plan "very realistic and workable", he said 20 counties in Hunan would be experimenting the plan this year. He hoped it could be developed in the whole of China within five years.

Professor Yuan's achievement in hybrid rice research has won him numerous international awards, like Science Prize of UNESCO.

He will deliver a lecture on hybrid rice on Friday.