Written by the Web Team   The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) supports the National Nutrition Council (NNC) in encouraging Filipinos to eat more vegetables through week-long activities conducted in Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, July 23 to 27. “There is a need for a more balanced diet. [There must be] moderation in everything,” said Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr, PhilRice executive director, as he opened the Nutrition Month Seminar […]

Written by the Web Team   The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) had awarded Dr. Dindo Agustin A. Tabanao, a plant breeder at Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), as 2012 Outstanding Young Scientist in the field of Applied Plant Sciences during its 34th Annual Scientific Conference, July 12. Tabanao, program leader of PhilRice’s Developing Technologies to Surpass the Dry Season Irrigated Lowland Rice Yield Plateau, was cited for […]

Written by the Web Team   Rice consumers concerned about reports that rice is linked to diabetes can rest assured that rice can be part of a healthy diet, with scientists finding that the glycemic index (GI) of rice varies a lot from one type of rice to another, with most varieties scoring a low to medium GI. The findings of the research, which analyzed 235 types of rice from […]

Written by Ella Lois T Bestil   Come planting season, forego spraying pesticides against defoliators on the first 30 days after transplanting or 40 days after sowing, advised Gertrudo Arida, PhilRice crop protection specialist. “Spraying pesticides this early will not only kill the defoliators in your rice plants, but also the natural enemies preying on pest defoliators,” Arida said. According to Arida, early spraying prevents the colonization of beneficial organisms […]

Written by Ella Lois T Bestil   Fight fungus with its kind. A recent study found that a certain fungal isolate can reduce sheath blight damage on rice. The fungus, Aspergillus sp. of an unknown species, was found to retard the growth of Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani), a pathogen or microorganism that causes sheath blight. Sheath blight is considered one of the major rice diseases causing up to 50% yield […]

Written by Chona Suner-Narvadez   “Social responsibility is everyone’s responsibility.  There’s always enough for everyone if we care to share in a responsible manner,“ so says Mr. Steven T. Cua, president of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Inc (PAGASA), during his talk with the members of the Philippine Tropical Wines and Spirits Cluster, an informal group of local alcoholic beverage manufacturers. Constraints Mr. Cua’s talk is the first of a […]

Written by Charisma Love B Gado   Hardworking extension workers passing through the endless fields of Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur, could easily be comforted  from work pressures by just hearing the farmers’ lively, upbeat song adopted from an Iluko composition, Bitbituen (Stars). Dagiti gagayyem nga insekto Konserbaren tay nga agnanayun Isuda’t makatulong panagpaksiat ti kabusur. Dagiti mais a dinadael Da cornborer ket stemborer Awan kuma’t pagdanagan Madadael ket masulnitan. Daytoy […]

Written by Charisma Love B Gado   Farmers in the Ilocos region are assured of the effectiveness of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as these are being adopted by extension workers in their own backyards. “I first tried a kilo of VAM (vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae) in the tomatoes planted in my backyard garden before I facilitated the Farmers Field School (FFS) on IPM in our town,” Clemente Viernes, extension worker […]

Written by Charisma Love B Gado   Their story is far from the mythical phoenix that reaching about 1,000 years, it builds itself a nest of twigs, then burn with it to rise again. However, the take off of some farmer-groups in Ilocos Norte is likened to the phoenix that after some moments of dormancy, they are mounted to a potent rebirth brought by the conduct of Farmer Field School […]

Written by Ella Lois T Bestil   In the rainfed area in Tabtabungao, La Union, rice yield increased amid water crisis. Fields lack supplemental irrigation; yet, farmers attained 4 t/ha – thanks to Aerobic Rice Technology (ART).  The yield is a feat, as farmers used to harvest 2-2.5 t/ha. ART is a cropping system that uses less water than the traditional practice, which takes about 3,000-5,000 l of water to […]