Chen Liangdong (front) and villagers level the field at a hybrid rice seed breeding base in preparation for planting in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
CENGONG, Aug.30 (Xinhua) -- As autumn arrives, the rice fields turn golden. Chen Liangdong has specially invited a professional harvesting team from Henan Province to harvest the hybrid rice seeds on his farm. Looking at the abundant rice seeds, Chen Liangdong was overjoyed.
Chen, who is 61, is a major producer of hybrid rice seeds in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Guizhou Province. He used to work as a construction worker on building sites in the county for many years. In 2012, Chen returned to his village and took over the idle land of the villagers to produce hybrid rice seeds. From spring to autumn, he is busy with tilling, sowing, mulching, transplanting, fertilizing, pollinating, and other tasks. Every year, he provides jobs for more than 100 households in the surrounding villages.
Cengong County is a national rice seed production county with 47 years of history in hybrid rice seed production. As part of its rural revitalization efforts, the county has designated the hybrid rice seed planting as a leading industry. Every year, the county supplies over 8 million kilograms of high-quality rice seeds to the market, effectively boosting the income and employment opportunities of local farmers.
Chen Liangdong (front) and villagers transplant rice seedlings in a hybrid rice seed breeding base in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
This photo taken on April 6, 2023 shows the hybrid rice seeds prepared by Chen Liangdong for seedling cultivation in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
This combo photo shows (from L to R) Chen Liangdong leveling the field on April 6, transplanting rice seedlings on May 29, holding a bamboo pole to pollinate the rice for seed production on Aug. 1 and showcasing harvested rice seeds on Aug. 26, in a hybrid rice seed breeding base in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
Chen Liangdong manually pollinate hybrid rice in the seed breeding base using bamboo poles in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
Chen Liangdong and his daughter-in-law load harvested rice seeds onto a truck in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
This combo photo (from top to bottom) shows villagers planting seeds on April 7, transplanting rice seedlings on May 29 and manually pollinating hybrid rice on Aug. 1, in Chen Liangdong's hybrid rice seed breeding base in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
This combo photo shows Chen Liangdong showcasing germinated rice seeds on April 6 (upper L), transplanting rice seedlings on May 29 (upper R), inspecting rice pollination on Aug. 1 (lower L) and displaying harvested rice seeds on Aug. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
This aerial photo taken on April 6, 2023 shows a hybrid rice seed breeding base in Xinchang Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)■
