Local government units (LGUs) helping farmers improve rice production will soon get support from upgraded digital tools being developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). Under the SMART Farm Program, developers are improving tools such as the PalayCheck App 2.0, the SMART-ICM Monitoring System, and the Scaling Rice Development Initiative Pest and Nutrient Management platform. These systems help LGUs and farmers record farm activities, track field conditions, and generate […]

A newly refined machine designed for dry-seeded fields is offering farmers a faster and more affordable way to plant rice and other crops. The Hand Tractor-Mounted Multi-Purpose Seeder (MP Seeder), developed by DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), attaches to a regular hand tractor and can plant rice, corn, and mungbean without the need for costly new equipment. Commercialized in 2018, the seeder, nominated by the Institute’s Rice Engineering and Mechanization […]

Farmers in Central Luzon are embracing smarter, modernized rice production to boost long-term sustainability through the Scalable, Modern, and Adaptive Rice Technologies for Better Rice Farming Communities (SMART Farm) Program, a flagship initiative of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) and its local partners. The program promotes the widespread adoption of advanced technologies such as the PalayCheck System, a dynamic rice crop management framework that integrates improved key […]

Drones are no longer just for capturing breathtaking aerial shots; they are now helping farmers clear weeds to achieve “sky-high” harvests. A recent study confirmed that agricultural drones can effectively control weeds in wet direct-seeded rice, performing just as well as traditional backpack sprayers in both weed suppression and grain yield. The experiment, conducted by the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute in Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and the DA-Research Outreach […]

The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) has launched a nationwide initiative to digitalize rice farming through the Scaling, Modern, and Adaptive Rice Technologies for Better Rice-Farming Communities (SMART Farm) Program. The program will immerse farmers in a suite of digital precision tools to guide their field operations. These include Binhing Palay, an app that serves as a catalog of Philippine rice varieties; eDamuhan, an app for improved weed […]

Scientists at the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) are investigating how silicon (Si), a common soil mineral, could help rice plants resist lodging—the bending or toppling of plants caused by typhoons and heavy rains. Lodging often reduces grain yield and quality, posing long-standing challenges for farmers. A recent study, “Silicon Mapping: A Potential Tool to Assess Lodging Resistance of Rice,” by Jan Nico A. Lazaro and their team, […]

DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute and Faeger Co., Ltd., a Japanese company have formalized an agreement to establish a state-of-the-art gas chromatography laboratory under the Institute’s Centralized Laboratory Management System. The new facility is expected to accelerate research on Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), a water-saving technology that not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also improves irrigation efficiency. The laboratory will also strengthen the country’s capacity to measure and analyze […]

Agri-engineers from DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Nueva Ecija have developed an AutoBoat Tractor—a tractor that uses hand levers for steering and can be operated with minimal physical effort, ideal for older farmers, women, and youth. The machine was engineered based on the common boat-style tractors used by Southeast Asian countries. It aims to make land preparation faster and more affordable for farmers. In terms of cost, a single […]

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija – Amid rising labor costs and a dwindling number of farmworkers, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is providing a new solution to help farmers plant more efficiently and reduce production expenses. In a field demonstration held in Brgy. Bangad, PhilRice introduced a riding-type paddy seeder capable of planting up to 2.5ha per day while consuming just 1 L of gasoline in an hour. “This machine […]

To provide an environment-friendly alternative to controlling weeds in rice fields, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has partnered with Japan-based NEWGREEN Inc. for the field testing of a solar-powered robot called Aigamorobo.  Under a Memorandum of Agreement, NEWGREEN Inc. will provide two robot units for testing at PhilRice’s Central Experiment Station in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, which will run from the incoming wet season to next year’s dry […]