For example, both
designs focused on large panicle size, reduced tillering capacity, and improved lodging resistance. More
importantly, improvement in plant type design was achieved in China’s ‘‘super’’ hybrid rice by
emphasizing the top three leaves and panicle position within a canopy in order to meet the demand of
heavy panicles for a large source supply. The success of ‘‘super’’ hybrid rice breeding in China and
progress in NPT breeding at IRRI suggest that the ideotype approach is effective for breaking the yield
ceiling of an irrigated rice crop.