An artist's impression of the molecular rice breeding smart demonstration base to be built in the Liandu district of Lishui. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Construction of the first molecular rice breeding smart demonstration base in China began on Jan 30 in the Liandu district of Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province, local media reported.

The base is jointly being funded and built by Huazhi Biotech Co Ltd, Lishui Zhihui Agricultural Modern Technology Co Ltd and the Liandu district government. Li Dingwei, a leading local rice farmer, will be responsible for breeding research and development at the center.

Explaining how such an important project came to join hands with a farmer, Li said he started farming at the age of 16 and now manages more than 66 hectares of rice fields, with an average yield of 9,195 kilograms per hectare and an annual income of 1 million yuan ($154,746).

In the eyes of the villagers, Li is not only practical and hardworking, but also diligent in his research. He has introduced such ideas as raising loach and duck in the paddy fields.

"With such a reliable partner, coupled with the superior natural environment here (in Liandu district), we decided for the task to be led by Li Dingwei," said Xiao Jinhua, chief scientist of Huazhi Biotech.

He said the project is also expected to provide a scientific basis for the national approval and promotion of new crop varieties and modern breeding.

Molecular rice cultivation differs from traditional rice breeding, in that it relies on the farmers' practical experience to judge the breeding situation in the process of seed growth – while the molecular breeding kicks in to conduct preliminary screening and assessments of seeds through molecular detection, DNA extraction and other technological means before breeding, to make the breeding more efficient and accurate.