Unlike regular rice, the new rice line can expel salt it takes from the soil into the air through the salt glands it has on its leaves, explained Dr. Kshirod Jena, lead scientist of the IRRI.

With this development in agricultural research, the farms in coastal areas that were rendered useless because of high-salinity content can now be utilized.

Further testing and studies are still being conducted to ensure the efficiency of the new rice variety, but the agency hopes that in four to five years, this salt-tolerant rice variety would be available to farmers.