LMA Chief Scientist — Zhang Zhaodong Key figures in the global industrialization of tropical
super hybrid rice
A student of Mr. Yuan Longping,
Former Deputy Director and Associate Researcher of the National Hybrid Rice Engineering Technology Research Center of China (then Director was Academician Yuan Longping).
Core Representative of International Promotion of Tropical Hybrid Rice
Global pioneer in high-yield and high-quality tropical hybrid rice
Praised as the “son of hybrid rice” in Sino-Philippine agricultural cooperation.
Professor Zhang Zhaodong is a student and follower of Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice, an international inheritor of Yuan Longping’s spirit, and a steadfast and crucial practitioner of the “world hybrid rice dream” of Yuan Longping’s team.
People who truly possess the ability to simultaneously conduct scientific research, breed production, commercialize, and promote internationally are extremely rare in the world, and Professor Zhang Zhaodong is a representative figure among them.
Having cultivated a strong presence in the Philippines for 30 years, it has earned a prestigious reputation.
Since being dispatched to the Philippines in 1998 at the invitation of Academician Yuan Longping, Zhang Zhaodong has dedicated nearly three decades to advancing the localization of tropical hybrid rice in the country. From screening germplasm under the microscope to breeding new varieties in experimental fields, he led his team in overcoming the challenges posed by the tropical climate and developed over 20 high-yield, premium-quality rice strains, significantly boosting incomes for Filipino farmers. His achievements have earned public commendation from three successive Philippine presidents and helped integrate hybrid rice into the nation’s food security strategy. Through these superior seeds, he has strengthened the foundation of China–Philippines agricultural cooperation, penning a moving chapter in the story of bilateral friendship.
Three presidents have publicly praised
Professor Zhang Zhaodong has served in the Philippines for nearly 30 years, receiving public praise and support from three presidents: Estrada, Arroyo, and Duterte. Each president has highly valued the contribution of hybrid rice to Philippine farmers and food security.
Philippine government’s highest honor
In 2021 , he was awarded the “Highest Honor Award from the Philippine Secretary of Agriculture,” earning him high respect on the international stage. Philippine Agriculture Secretary William Dahl called him “a bond of friendship between China and the Philippines.”
On June 3 , 2026 , the 6th China-Philippines Friendship Award ( APPCU ) was presented in Manila, Philippines. Professor Zhang Zhaodong was awarded the Laureate Award , the only non-Filipino recipient of this year’s award. Zhang Zhaodong’s award is a milestone in China-Philippines agricultural technology cooperation and a vivid reflection of the “mutual understanding and affinity” between the two countries.
A 30-Year-Old Tropical Unique Variety: A Classic Case Study in the
Commercialization of Tropical Hybrid Rice Worldwide
” Xiling Series ” hybrid rice achieves high yield, high quality, high stability, and high disaster resistance, breaking the industry pain point that ” high-yield hybrid rice is not tasty , ” and has been truly verified in the long-term typhoon environment of the Philippines .
This is not a laboratory achievement, but a mature system that has been validated in real tropical industrial environments around the world for more than 30 years .
Scientist Alliance (Open Strategic Scientists Alliance )
With Chief Scientist Professor Zhang Zhaodong as its core technological icon, LMA has built a golden three-tiered talent team consisting of “strategic masters + practical experts + localized technical officers.” LMA , in collaboration with top experts from China, ASEAN, and the International Rice Research Institute ( IRRI ) , has established a tiered talent network. Through a mentorship mechanism, it ensures the intergenerational transmission of scientific research capabilities and guarantees a continuous stream of successors.
With a multinational team deeply rooted in local communities and core technologies passed down from generation to generation, LMA is fully committed to ensuring its continued leading position in the field of tropical smart agriculture.