By LIU KUN in Wuhan and GUO YANQI A hybrid rice variety, jointly developed by China’s Wuhan University and the University of the Punjab in Pakistan, is moving toward wider commercial use in Pakistan. According to the University of Punjab, the variety registered under the name PU-786 is the first Honglian-Type hybrid rice developed in Pakistan. It has been tested across four provinces in the country before a commercialization agreement was signed in March, moving the project from the laboratory toward the market. Muhammad Ashfaq, a professor at the Punjab University and one of the project’s key researchers, said that before PU-786, Pakistan’s rice sector faced low yields, vulnerability to pests and climate stress, and limited export competitiveness. Farmers also faced unstable harvests and high input costs, limiting the sector’s broader potential. “PU-786 is remarkable because it triples yield potential — up to 5.6 metric tons per acre (13.83 tons per hectare) — while maintaining ...