China’s ‘father of hybrid rice’ Yuan Longping dies at 90
- Agronomist was best known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s and helping ensure food security in the country
- In 2014, he said was working with researchers on rice that had been genetically modified to help China meet its agricultural goals
The Chinese agronomist was known for developing the first hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s and regarded as a national hero for boosting grain harvests and helping to feed the world’s most populous country.
The official Hunan Daily newspaper reported that Yuan died of multiple organ failure in hospital in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province, just after 1pm.
News of Yuan’s death prompted a flood of tributes online and was a top-ranking topic on Chinese microblogging site Weibo.
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Large crowds in China bid farewell to Yuan Longping, father of hybrid rice, dead at 90
In Changsha, motorists pulled off to the side of the road and sounded their car horns as the vehicle carrying Yuan’s body from the hospital passed by. Pedestrians also stood by the roadside. In the evening, residents queued up to lay flowers outside the funeral home, where a service for Yuan will be held.