The Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recently urged rice farmers in Central Luzon and the Bicol Region to step up field surveillance as wet‑season weather is expected to fuel pest and disease outbreaks. A Bureau of Plant Industry report flags brown planthopper (BPH), bacterial leaf blight (BLB), rice blast, rice stemborer, and rodents as the top threats for the July‑to‑September quarter. “Cloudy, rainy days with temperatures of 25‑30 °C […]

A scientist from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has been recognized by Central Luzon State University (CLSU) for groundbreaking work on “weedy rice,” a major but often overlooked threat to rice productivity. Edwin C. Martin, crop protection specialist at PhilRice, was named one of CLSU’s outstanding alumni during the university’s 61st College of Agriculture foundation day for leading the first comprehensive study on the biology, distribution, and potential uses of weedy […]