Dr Yin Zhongchao named Singapore’s Outstanding Rice Scientist for 2017 ASEAN Rice Science and Techno

Dr Yin Zhongchao has been conferred the Outstanding Rice Scientist of Singapore at the ASEAN Rice Science and Technology Ambassadors Award. This award recognizes Dr Yin’s outstanding scientific research in the field of understanding bacterial diseases in rice as well as his positive contribution to rice productivity improvement at the ASEAN level. In conjunction with the ASEAN 50th Founding Anniversary, this award highlights the key role agriculture and rice plays in the ASEAN economy and culture as well as the increasing importance of scientific research towards ensuring food and economic security in the region. Dr Yin, together with fellow awardees from other ASEAN member states, received the award today at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Auditorium in Quezon City, Philippines.

According to a press release, Dr Yin Zhongchao is currently a Senior Principal Investigator at TLL where he has over the last 15 years, led a multi-national team of scientists to understand from the molecular level how rice interacts with the environment and uses it to build up its own natural defence mechanisms. Dr Yin and his team have, over the years, contributed many important research papers to the scientific community and have isolated various specific resistance genes which has led to the generation of rice lines that have broad-spectrum and durable resistance to many strains of X. oryzae pv. Oryzae, a bacterium which can cause significant devastation in rice fields. In addition, his team has developed new and improved rice varieties using marker-assisted selection to breed and develop rice varieties that have many important agronomic traits leading to increased yields and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Dr Yin’s work extends beyond the lab where he has been active in collaborating with researchers from various ASEAN countries in knowledge sharing and capability building in the area of rice research. His collaborators include scientists from China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, USA and International Rice Research Institute.

Dr Yin’s work with the Syiah Kuala University (SKU) on the development of rice lines that are suitable for cultivation in Aceh, Indonesia, has contributed towards the rebuilding of communities in Aceh after the 2004 Tsunami. More recently, Dr Yin’s efforts has also contributed towards the deposition of Singaporean rice varieties at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a backup secure seed facility to ensure security and availability of seeds to future generations to overcome the challenges of climate change and population growth. Mr Peter Chia, Chief Executive Officer of TLL says, "I would like to congratulate Dr Yin for his outstanding work and for the recognition he has received. I hope this would serve as an example to inspire more scientists in pursuing breakthrough science and to further that to achieve impact to communities. We look forward to more collaborative opportunities to work with our partners in ASEAN to meet the growing aspirations of our region."