Aiming at the current situation of japonica rice varieties in Jiangsu Province, we began to breed new varieties with good eating taste since 1999. Through the combination of molecular marker-assisted selection and traditional breeding techniques, genes such as good taste, stripe disease resistance, high yield and aroma were polymerized. In 2009, the first variety, Nanjing 46 was developed and released in Jiangsu and Shanghai. Nanjing 46 is recognized as “The Most Delicious Rice in Jiangsu” and has won “Golden Prizes” and “First Prize” in provincial, national and international contests. Subsequently, a series of excellent japonica rice varieties such as Nanxun 5055, Nanjing 9108, Nanjing 505, Nanjing 2728 and Nanjing 3908 have successively developed in order to expand the planting area of good-eating quality japonica rice varieties and meet the farmers' growing needs. The suitable planting areas of our varieties were extend to Jiangsu Province, Huanghuaihai area and parts of southern Shandong and Anhui Henan. “Zhongyi” Nanxun 9108, “Hecai” Nanxun 9108 and other rice brands were created and more than 20 honorary titles had won, such as the “First Prize” in rice taste contests, national “Golden Prize” and other honorary titles.  Total planting area of Nanjing varieties is more than 3.9 million hectares. Breeding and application of new japonica rice varieties with good eating taste greatly promoted the industrialization of high-quality rice in Jiangsu Province.

Nanjing46: “The Most Delicious Rice in Jiangsu”