Rice is the most successful crop in the utilization of heterosis in China,and it has made a huge contribution to the increase of food production in world. Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) includes two subspecies of indica/xian and japonica/geng. The distant heterosis between indica/xian and japonica/geng subspecies is particularly prominent,which can be used as an important way to increase the yield of rice per area. However,the hybrid fertility between xian and geng subspecies is generally low,which is the biggest limiting factor in the utilization of distant heterosis. This article analyzed the genetic basis of rice xian-geng hybrid sterility,and revealed the molecular mechanism of corresponding hybrid sterility loci. On this basis,the origin of wide-compatibility genes was studied. This type of genetic resources can be used as a “bridge” for the breeding of intersubspecific hybrid rice,and can be used to improve the fertility of xian-geng hybrid rice. The theoretical results above have promoted the high efficiency and precision of the genetic improvement of the seed setting rate of xian-geng hybrids. The combination of two-line method and three-line method with “xian male sterility line andgengrestorer line ” and “geng male sterility line and xian restorer line” has become an important way for the large-scale utilization of strong intersubspecific heterosis of xian-geng hybrid rice. Developing xian-geng hybrid rice with high-yield,quality,and nutrition that integrates green,nutritious and healthy traits is one of the important directions for breeding rice in the future.