Researchers have developed a long-lived perennial rice that is essentially a type of paddy that allows farmers to sow just once while permitting up to eight harvests without reducing output – that's roughly two years of freedom from crop plantation.

By crossing a domestic annual rice from Asia with a wild perennial rice from Africa, researchers have created this perennial rice. By using contemporary genetic technologies to expedite the process, the team discovered a promising hybrid in 2007, set up extensive field trials in 2016, and launched PR23, the first commercial variety of perennial rice, in 2018.

Perennial rice has several benefits over ordinary rice. For instance, farmers that grew perennial rice used about 60% less labor and spent half as much on seed, fertilizer, and other inputs because they didn't have to plant every season.

There is excitement about introducing this variety in India as apart from its regular benefits, this rice can play a major role in curbing air pollution in Northern India where stubble burning is a major issue.

Due to its detrimental effects on air quality, human health, and the environment as a whole, stubble burning is hindering states like Punjab, which are renowned for the types of rice they produce and the agricultural techniques they use.

Farmers would thus be able to harvest the crop numerous times, and their requirement to burn the stubble after harvest would be substantially lessened if this high-yielding, long-lived perennial paddy could replace the current types with a few simple alterations, thus paving the way to sustainable agriculture.