Norin 10 wheat

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Wheat Norin 10 is a semi-dwarf variety of wheat, with very large ears, which grew in the experimental station of Norin, Japan. Norin 10 grew just two feet tall, instead of the usual four, which made it less prone to wind-caused damage.

Norin 10 provided two very important genes, Rht1 and Rht2, that resulted in reduced-height wheats, thus allowing better nutrient uptake and tillerage (when heavily fertilised with nitrogen, tall varieties grow too high, become top-heavy, and lodge).

Cecil Salmon, biologist and wheat expert on General Douglas MacArthur's team in Japan after 1945 collected 16 varieties of wheat including one called “Norin 10”. Solomon sent the Norin 10 seeds to Orville Vogel. These samples were used in 1952 by Norman Borlaug and collaborators and crossed with Mexican traditional varieties. They obtained the high-output varieties which were tested in India (Lerma Rojo 64 and Sonora 64) during the green revolution.

Norin 10 helped developing countries, such as India and Pakistan to increase the productivity of their crops from approximately 60% during the green revolution.