'Seawater rice' rides tide of hope and hype

A test next year will determine whether new strain can be grown commercially, Xie Chuanjiao reports from Qingdao, Shandong.

Research and experimental plantings of a crop hyped by Chinese media as "seawater rice" hold out the promise of turning vast areas of wasteland green and boosting food security.

However, experts caution there is a long way to go to prove the commercial viability of what is more properly called salt-resistant rice.