Fatherofhybridricehopestogrowmorecropsonlessland20世纪60年代，在中国“绿色革命”的大潮中，出现了一位攻下“杂交水稻”难题的科技新星，这就是被誉为“杂交水稻之父”的袁隆平。他的名字价值1000亿，是当今中国最值钱的名字，但他的最大愿望却是“让天下的人都吃饱饭”。ProfessorYuanLongping,thefatherofhybridrice,expressedthehopethathewouldgrowmorecropsonlessfarmland.The77-year-oldscientististhepioneerofhybridriceresearchandhehasbeencarryingouthisworksincethe1960s.Thescientistinventedhybridriceandwasalsothefirsttosuccessfullychangetheself-pollinating(自花传粉)characteristicsofrice.Hishardworkanddevotionmadelarge-scalefarmingofhybridricepossible,thusmakingthenationself-reliant(自立的)onrice.Talkingaboutfarmers’happinessandtheirstrongresponse(反应)tohybridrice,ProfessorYuanrecalled（回想起）howanoldfarmerinHunanProvincebecameoverjoyedduringphase(阶段)1.“Thankyouforteachingmehowtoplantthesuperhybridrice.I’veneverhadsuchagoodharvestinfortyyearsofricefarming.Ihavethehighestregardforyouandyourfellowscientists,”theprofessorsaid,recallingthewordsofthefarmer.Apartfrombeinghighlyproductive,thehybridriceisalsotasty.Recallinganotherincident,ProfessorYuansaidthreeyearsagosomereportersfromHongKongandShenzhenhadachancetotastetherice.Ayoungfemalereporterhad2bowlsofrice.Onanotheroccasion,arichbusinessmanevenhadthreebowlsofriceandtookhomesomeofthericeforhisfamily.UnderthesuperricebreedingprogrammesetupbyChina’sMinistryofAgriculture,atotalof10.5tonsofhybridriceperhectare(公顷)wasproducedinphaseIfrom1996to2000.Theproductiontarget(目标)wasincreasedto12tonsperhectareinphaseIIfrom2001to2005,withthetargetachievedin2004.ProfessorYuansaidphaseIIIbreedingwaswellunderway,andhewasconfidentthatthetargetcouldbeachievedin2010.ProfessorYuan’sachievementsinhybridriceresearchhavewonhimalargenumberofinternationalawards,liketheUNESCO(UnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization)SciencePrize.
