Comparison of comprehensive benefits of traditional and hybrid rices -A case study of Hei'er Zhuang Nationality Village in Shizong County, Yunnan Province

Rice cultivation ensures long-term grain supply and food security. Yunan Province of China has the richest rice germplasm resources duo to its diversities of geomorphology, biology, climate and culture, and multi-ethnic groups. However, with rapidly pop-ularizing of hybrid rice in recent years, traditional rice varieties have been faced the risk of extinction (a huge loss of genetic resources) in Yunnan Province. Thus it was urgent and essential to develop conservation and sustainable utilization measures of traditional rice resources, especially in ethnic minority areas. Based on structured interview and questionnaire survey, data on hybrid rice variety 'Yi'xiang-725' and traditional rice variety 'Hei'er Sticky' were collected in Hei'er Zhuang Nationality Village in Shizong County in 2016. Based on production input, economic output, ecological effect and rice culture, the comprehensive benefits of traditional and hybrid rice varieties were compared. The results showed that hybrid rice grain yield was significantly higher than that of traditional rice. However, the comprehensive benefits of traditional rice were significantly higher than those of hybrid rice in the village. The total costs of cultivating one-season hybrid rice and traditional rice were respectively 7 960.35 ¥·hm^-2 and 4 464.90 ¥·hm^-2, the total input of hybrid rice was 1.78 times that of traditional rice. The total output values of traditional and hybrid rice varieties were 52 087.80 ¥·hm^-2 and 40 548.90 ¥·hm^-2, the output value of traditional rice was 1.28 times that of hybrid rice. The net profit and profit rate of traditional rice were respectively 47 622.90 ¥·hm^-2 and 91.42%, which were 32 588.55 ¥·hm^-2 and 80.39% for hybrid rice. The environmental stress and risk of hybrid rice cultivation were higher than those of traditional rice. Biodiversity in traditional rice field was obviously higher than that in hybrid rice field. The traditional rice was closely related with traditional ethnic culture such as food culture, festivals and religious sacrifices in the village. The study suggested that it was critical for sustainable development of rice production to protect and rationally utilize traditional genetic germplasm resources of rice in the region.