Yu has identified 20 or 30 paddy-rice genes with special functions. Some make for bigger rice grains, some accelerate growth, and others enable rice to grow in adverse environments by making it more resistant to drought, cold, or saline soils.
靠著這種苦功夫，余淑美已從中找出二、三十種具有「特異功能」的水稻基因，有的能使稻穀結實更飽滿、有的可以縮短生長時程，有些則具有抗旱、抗寒、抗鹽等對抗自然界「逆境」的生存能力。