Functional rice: a new direction for sustainable development of rice production

Functional rice has a broad market prospect and represents one of the vital developmental directions for future rice production. This paper summarizes the types, breeding and cultivation technologies of functional rice, as well as prevention and control of pests and diseases. We conclude the following: (1) breeding for functional rice should focus on breeding rice varieties with an endosperm that is enriched with multiple active components and broad-spectrum resistance to pests and diseases; (2) moderate water stress and optimized fertilizer management practices of low nitrogen, low phosphorus, high potassium, high silicon, and moderate micronutrient fertilization, as well as timely and early harvest, are conducive to improving the yield and quality of functional rice. In addition, we stress the need to focus on the development and application of polymerization breeding technologies for the advancement of the functional rice industry, and future research in these areas should be reinforced.