High-yield rice variety brings Vietnamese scientist to win VinFuture Prize 2023

Receiving 5 grams of IR36 rice seeds sent by post from Professor Gurdev Singh Khush, Professor Vo Tong Xuan researched to defeat the "brown planthopper" that destroys crops.

At the ceremony on the evening of December 20 in Hanoi, People's Teacher, Professor, Dr. Vo Tong Xuan (83 years old) was moved when the VinFuture Global Science and Technology Award Council announced his name in the Special Prize category for scientists from developing countries. He is the first Vietnamese scientist to be awarded the VinFuture Prize. Together with Professor Gurdev Singh Khush (Indian-American), the two scientists shared the prize worth 500,000 USD, honoring their important contributions to the invention and dissemination of many high-yield, disease-resistant rice varieties that have contributed to strengthening global food security.

During the agricultural revolution, Professor Xuan played a key role in popularizing the IR36 variety in the pest-infested areas of the Mekong Delta and working with farmers to apply advanced transplanting techniques. Through these initiatives, he expanded quality rice varieties and increased rice production at lower costs without the use of harmful chemicals.

He stressed that supporting the application of new rice varieties has helped diversify agricultural production in the Mekong Delta. "These efforts have helped increase rice productivity and improve farmers' livelihoods. Thereby, contributing to Vietnam's rise to become one of the world's top three rice exporting countries," he said on stage to receive the award.

Prof. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan (right) and Prof. Gurdev Singh Khush received the award. Photo: Giang Huy

It was 1976, a year after receiving his "doctor of agronomy" degree in Japan (equivalent to a PhD), he returned to Vietnam with the desire to train a team of agricultural engineers at Can Tho University. At that time, farmers in the Mekong Delta were miserable because most of the high-yielding rice varieties IR 26 and IR 30 were devastated by brown planthoppers. "I went with Associate Professor Nguyen Van Huynh to Tan Chau, An Giang to confirm that all varieties had been eaten en masse. This was a new type of brown planthopper," he recalled.

Faced with the urgent situation, Professor Xuan contacted the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines for help. Two weeks later, he received four envelopes sent by post from Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush, known as the "rice wizard". From each envelope containing 5 grams of seeds including IR32, 24, 36 and 38, Professor Xuan cultivated four new rice varieties resistant to planthoppers and selected IR36 as the best. To save the farmers, the only way was to find a way to propagate the seeds as quickly as possible.

He immediately started experimenting, after a short time of experimenting, he found a method of planting one rice plant to preserve the breed and increase productivity. Professor Xuan convinced the Board of Directors of Can Tho University to close the entire school for two months, sending students to help farmers fight the "planthoppers". At first, many people were hesitant because the traditional farming method usually requires planting 2-4 rice plants. But when they learned that Professor Vo Tong Xuan was the one behind it, they felt secure to follow. He and his colleagues instructed farmers in three basic lessons: prepare the rice seedlings well, plow the soil thoroughly, and plant one rice plant. In the end, not only did they stop the brown planthoppers, but after the second crop, they harvested more than 2 tons of rice.

By the 1980s, IR36 had been adopted globally on 11 million hectares. In 2000, the widespread adoption of IR36 and other varieties contributed significantly to the increase in rice productivity, with production increasing to 600 million tonnes. In addition to IR36, IR64 was widely grown on 10 million hectares within two decades of its introduction, positively impacting the lives of millions of people worldwide. By 2018, IR64 and its descendants were widely grown in many countries, becoming the most popular rice variety in tropical Asia, demonstrating their superiority and exceptional adaptability.

People's Teacher, Professor, Dr. Vo Tong Xuan. Photo: Van Luu

In a sideline conversation with the press on December 17, he said he still wanted to farm, working with people to bring new varieties to cover high-yield rice areas. Recalling his childhood, Professor Xuan said he witnessed his aunt and uncle working extremely hard during the crop season, and he was determined to study well. In 1961, the young man received a scholarship to study abroad at the Philippine Agricultural University and graduated with a degree in Agricultural Chemistry with research in the sugarcane field.

In 1969, when the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was established, he applied to study rice with the hope of helping farmers. Initially, IRRI only agreed to let him attend training classes as an auditor because he did not have a letter of introduction from the Government. Once, when he dared to give suggestions to correct a lecturer's "lesson plan", the Director of IRRI "noticed" him and informed him that he would be hired. At the Institute, he pioneered the dissemination of agricultural extension models in the Philippines, training in high-yield rice cultivation techniques.

After 10 years in the Philippines, in 1971, he returned to Vietnam at the invitation of Can Tho University, with the desire to quickly multiply knowledge and help people grow rice effectively. For more than half a century working with rice, the professor from An Giang has been tirelessly pursuing testing and developing disease-resistant crop varieties. He also proactively sought out varieties that the International Rice Institute was crossbreeding for development. He and his research colleagues tried to crossbreed delicious varieties, came up with initiatives to improve life, and help rice exporting farmers make money.

Among the thousands of students he taught was engineer Ho Quang Cua - the father of the ST25 variety, who brought delicious rice to the world.

Professor Xuan acknowledged that although the rice planning has been designed to "coexist with climate change", this is not yet stable because farmers are still doing it in a fragmented manner, traders are still small and opportunistic. He assessed that the most important direction is to make farmers become new farmers, working on a large scale towards using less chemical fertilizers, promoting microorganisms and organics, so that rice will grow well, be resistant to pests and diseases, avoid using pesticide residues, and manage traceability of origin. Besides, it is necessary to connect farmers and businesses.

On the day of receiving the award, holding the trophy in his hand, Professor Vo Tong Xuan was moved. On behalf of his late wife, colleagues, students at Can Tho University, and millions of farmers in the Mekong Delta, he sent his thanks to the award council.

Nhu Quynh

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