Yuan Longping, a native of Hunan, was born in an ordinary peasant family. He took part in field work since he was a child, loved every grass and tree in the countryside, and realized the hardships contained in every grain of rice. 1959 After graduating from the Department of Agriculture of Southwest Agricultural College, he came to Hunan Qianyang Agricultural School as a genetic breeding teacher.
It is the most economical and effective technical means to improve crop yield by using the advantages of the first generation hybrid. As early as 1930s and 1940s, hybrid corn was popularized in the United States, and in 1950s, short and high yield hybrid wheat appeared in Mexico. However, since the 1920s, the efforts of breeders to cultivate excellent hybrid rice varieties pollinated by white flowers have not been successful. Yuan Longping combined with agricultural school teaching to keep abreast of external rice breeding trends; While carefully observing the distinctive plants in the surrounding rice fields. 1960, he discovered a natural hybrid rice in the experiment of cultivating high-yield rice seeds, and he was determined to cultivate artificial hybrid rice. 1in the summer of 964, he first discovered male sterile plants, and later took the lead in proposing the idea of cultivating three lines (male sterile lines, maintainer lines and restorer lines) of rice, and worked hard to step up field experiments. 1973, finally broke through many difficulties and became the first indica hybrid rice with strong advantages in the world. 1974 and 1975 have achieved good results in many places in the south, and they began to be widely popularized after 1976. Since then, China has become the first country in the world to use the heterosis of rice. Production practice at home and abroad has proved that under the same conditions, the yield of hybrid seeds is 20-30% higher than that of general improved varieties, with a high yield of more than 50%.
In, indica hybrid rice was transferred to the United States as the first export patent of China, and was introduced to many rice-producing countries in a short time.
In recognition of Yuan Longping's outstanding contribution to the country and people, the State Science and Technology Commission awarded him the first special invention award 198 1 since the founding of New China. 1985 awarded him the gold medal for his invention and creation by the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization, 1987 awarded him the science prize by UNESCO, and 1988 won the international Rankine Gold Award in London, England. International friends praised him as "the father of hybrid rice in China".