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An 11-hectare reserve containing what experts described as the world's northernmost wild rice has been put under state protection in Jiangxi Province, east China, local officials said.

They said wild rice was found on 0.3 hectares of the reserve in Dongxiang County, which has been guarded by a special task force.

Experts said the wild rice can stand cold weather of up to about minus 10 degrees centigrade. It is of great significance for scientists to study the origin and evolution of rice and to cultivate new species through crossbreeding, they said.

Last century, China cultivated the world's first hybrid rice after wild rice was found on the island province of Hainan, south China.

The hybrid rice led to a worldwide boon for rice producers since the per-unit yield of hybrid rice is far higher than traditional rice.

The Ministry of Agriculture last year allocated special funds for the protection of the dwindling habitats of wild rice.

Li Guoqiang, director of the Science and Technology Department of the Jiangxi provincial government, said the province has launched a research program on using genetic engineering technology to cultivate new rice species.