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What is an inbred rice variety?An inbred rice variety is a product of self-pollination or the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of the same flower. Thus, only one rice plant is needed to produce its seeds. Seeds harvested from an inbred variety can still be used for the next planting season without much reduction in the quality and quantity of the yield, provided roguing is done regularly. All seedboard varieties including traditional lines are inbred, except hybrid rice varieties. Most of the rice varieties in farmers’ fields are inbred. What is a hybrid rice variety?A hybrid rice variety is a product of cross pollination or the transfer of pollen from the anther of one rice plant to the stigma of another rice plant. Thus, two rice plants are needed to produce its seeds - one as the female parent and the other as male parent. Also called an F1, a hybrid variety performs better than its parents. Seeds harvested from the F1 hybrid are not recommended for planting in the following season owing to expected reduction in yield quality and quantity. Examples of hybrid varieties are PSB Rc26H (Magat), PSB Rc72H (Mestizo 1), NSIC Rc116H (Mestizo 3), NSIC Rc124H (Mestizo 4), NSIC Rc126H (Mestizo 5), and NSIC Rc132H (Mestizo 6), SL8, and Bigante. How should I choose the variety to plant?Choose the variety that is best adapted to your local area, whether irrigated, rainfed, drought- or saline-prone; and resistant to pests prevalent in the area. This information can be obtained from the municipal agricultural officers (MAO), seed growers, and some farmers in your area. Varieties have different reactions to insect pests and diseases and to specific environments. For example, PSB Rc44 and PSB Rc46 were specifically bred for low temperature areas such as the highlands of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Is it true that newly released varieties always yield higher than older ones? Not necessarily. A new variety may be released even if it yields lower than its precedent, as long as it has any of the following characteristics: resistance to major pests and diseases; good grain quality; higher yield than the check variety; grain quality comparable to IR64; or a special attribute such as cold or drought tolerance. For instance, PSB Rc54 averages 5.0 t/ha while its precedent, PSB Rc52 averages 5.3 t/ha. But PSB Rc54 is more resistant to blast than PSB Rc52. In this case, blast resistance is considered a special attribute. Why do we need to use CS?Certified seeds are high quality seeds produced by trained seed growers. These seeds have high seedling vigor, meaning, they have good survival rate and root anchorage, which leads to a higher yield advantage. CS, RS, and FS should have at least 85% germination rate. How does the government increase CS hybrid seed usage?The government, through the FIELDS (Fertilizers, Irrigation and other rural infrastructure, Education and training of farmers, Dryers and other postharvest facilities and Seeds of high-yielding varieties) program, continuously promote the use of certified and hybrid rice seeds. The program provides location-specific interventions to farmers who buy and plant seeds even without government subsidy. DA encourages accredited seed growers or campanies to continuously produce hybrid and inbred rice seeds, and provides seed subsidy to farmers who plant hybrid rice. The hybrid seeds are directly distributed by seed producers/companies to the farmers, distributors, or through the local government units (LGUs). Why do we need to regularly change the variety we are using?To minimize the buildup of pests or to break the conditioning process of pests on the resistance of a particular variety. If pests are continuously exposed to the same variety, these might evolve into more powerful types that would overcome the varieties’ resistance. How can I produce high quality seeds without spending so much?Determine the area needed to produce the seed requirement. It must be fertile and situated near a water source. Prepare the area thoroughly to incorporate all rice stubbles. Allow drop seeds to grow and eliminate these to avoid mixtures. Buy about 1 kg high quality seeds (foundation, registered, or certified) from PhilRice or from any accredited seed grower. Mix organic matter on top of the seedbed (approximately 0.5 kg/sq m) to make pulling of seedlings easier. After 21-25 days, transplant 1-3 seedlings per hill in a 1,000 sq m field at 20 cm x 20 cm distance during the wet season and at 20 cm x 15 cm distance during the dry season. Remove off-types or any mixture including weeds and diseased plants in all growth stages.
Thresh, dry, and clean the seeds and avoid all sources of mechanical mixtures. Storage area must be clean, dry, and safe from birds, rats, and other pests. Do the above steps every cropping season.
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Varieties and Seeds 
