Machhapuchhre 3 (MP3), the First Rice Variety Developed through a Participatory Plant Breeding Approach Released for Mid to High Altitudes of Nepal

Adoption rates for exotic rice varieties in the eastern and western hills of Nepal are reported to be 10-11%. Seven F 5 bulks representing three crosses—Fuji 102/CD, K332/NR10157-2B-2, and Stejaree 45/CD—were given to expert farmers identified through a village workshop. They were asked to grow and manage the new entries along with their local variety in the same way. The participatory plant breeding (PPB) system included a farm walk to different trial sites, preference ranking, measurement of farmers' managed yield data, postharvest evaluations by women farmers, and monitoring of varietal spread. Farmer-selected lines were also included in national yield trials to satisfy variety release requirements.