VietNamNet Bridge - Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lang is one of seven women who was granted the Vietnamese Women’s Award in 2011 for her outstanding achievements in producing dozens of hybrid rice varieties that are salt resistant and have high output and good quality.

Prof. Nguyen Thi Lang presents the drought resistant rice variety which is planted on a trial basis in the Cuu Long Deltla Rice Research Institute.

Prof. Nguyen Thi Lang was born in 1957 in Ben Tre Province. In 1994 she successfully defended her doctoral thesis in genetics and breeding titled “Genetic Research on Physiological Traits and Heterosis of Rice.

Later, she completed other programmes on genetics, varieties, molecular genetics, bio-technology, genetic modification and technological transfer. These issues are very practical for the production and quality of rice for export in Vietnam. In 2009 she earned the title of professor.

From 2006 to 2012 she was Head of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding at the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute.

After retirement, she still works as a senior researcher at the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute and is Head of the Department of Biotechnology at Cuu Long University.

Prof. Lang has headed and participated in nearly 100 projects on rice production. During the training of specialized scientific researchers, she gave instructions to over 30 PhD and MA theses. She has attained many patents for technology, solutions and scientific research that have been successfully applied in practice.

One of her outstanding achievements is her successful breeding of salt-resistant rice varieties originating from a variety called “magic rice” This is a natural rice variety with a strong vitality in the lowland of Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds).

In the submerged areas during the flood season the rice still strongly grows and yields sweet and fragrant grains, and saved the lives of many people during the time of war and famine.

Knowing about the special qualities of this magic rice, Prof. Nguyen Thi Lang and her husband, Prof. Bui Chi Buu, who is also a well-known scientist went to Dong Thap Muoi to study how to combine the superiorities of the magic rice and high-yield rice varieties to create a new variety.

After 10 years of research, a new rice variety named AS996 (or OM2424) with special features was created. It can grow in alkaline soil with less phosphate, is resistant to salt and brown planthopper develops well in different areas and has high output. It has become a standard variety due to its resistance to harsh conditions.

Then, dozens of salt-resistant rice varieties of “OM” family, such as OM4498, OM5930, OM4900 and OM6073 were produced. “OM” is the abbreviation of O Mon, the place where the head office of the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute is situated.

Prof. Lang and her husband have been attached to this institute for many years. So far, she has created 24 rice varieties which have been recognized as national varieties.

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is a major rice producing area which supplies over 90% of the country’s rice output for export, but it is one of the three plains severely affected by climate change.

For many years, Prof. Lang and other scientists at the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute have been absorbed in research and successfully created many salt-resistant rice varieties which have high yield and good quality and are adaptive to climate change.

Now, she is doing research on other rice varieties which have high nutrient content and are resistant to many species of insects, diseases, drought, flood, heat and salt.

For Prof. Nguyen Thi Lang, the search for new rice varieties which can adapt to climate change is not only an urgent, difficult and challenging task, but also her interest and happiness.

Prof. Lang (white shirt) at an international seminar on agriculture.

Prof. Lang discusses with foreign scientists about a new rice variety which is planted on a trial basis in Vietnam.

Prof. Lang with colleagues and students at the Cuu Long Deltla Rice Research Institute.

Prof. Lang conducts a sample experiment at the lab in the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute.

Prof. Lang lectures to a biotechnology class at the Faculty of Agriculture, Mekong University.

VNP