300 new strains of saltwater-tolerant rice have been planted in China on 670 hectares of experimental alkali fields in an attempt to develop resilient, high-yield rice varieties that can be cultivated on previously unproductive land and help safeguard food security in China. Successful varieties will be commercially cultivated throughout the country, utilising approximately 20 million hectares of an estimated 100 million hectares of saltwater soil which is believed to be suitable for rice cultivation. The Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center plans to submit seven rice strains to China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for evaluation which, if approved, would be promoted for large-scale cultivation nationwide.