Seed quality and varietal information tops all queries in a farmer’s mind. Every cropping season, new and veteran rice farmers ask, “What variety should I plant now?” Added to this are their concerns on yield and suitability under local condition. The need for this information motivated ICT specialists Nehemiah Caballong and Paul Austian Alday of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to develop the Binhing Palay app with the National Cooperative […]

Seminar series for better agriculture. Farmers can expect improved location-specific varieties as researchers’ skills on rice breeding are enhanced through seminar series. Breeding strategies for organic rice and molecular plant breeding were discussed in an activity themed, Breeding for brighter future in agriculture, with Alvin Palanog and Dr. Arlen dela Cruz as speakers, Sept. 28. Rimmon Armones from the Sugar Regulatory Administration also shared the breeding methods in sugarcane. This initiative […]

All for high-quality seeds. PhilRice Bicol urged seed growers and farmers to plant newly released and promising rice varieties during the Rice Seed System Field day in Camarines Norte, Oct. 2.  The project, Strengthening the Seed Production and Distribution Pathways in Bicol and Eastern Visayas Region (The Rice Seed Systems Project) showcased the following varieties to farmers: NSIC Rc 25 (upland), NSIC Rc 346 (rainfed), NSIC Rc 440, NSIC RC 400, NSIC Rc 402, […]

A public hybrid variety, Mestiso 20 (M20), exhibited an excellent stand with 98% disease-free leaves during the three-day demo of the 7th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) held at Talibon, Bohol. “Every variety performed well. However, M20 had a remarkable outcome, as it showed 98% resistance to blight. Only 2% of the crop was affected, which did not happen in the other areas where M20 was planted,” said Richard Romanillos, […]

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) hand over a total of 3,350 kilograms of rice seeds, comprising 2,150 kg of foundation seeds of NSIC Rc 400 and 1,200 kg of registered seeds of NSIC Rc 352, to the Local Government Unit of San Mateo, Isabela as seed support for farmers affected by the Typhoon Ompong. Reports show that Ompong has wrecked havoc on […]

About 1, 500 participants composed of farmers, students, extension workers, and researchers from Luzon regions will participate in this year’s Lakbay Palay Wet Season (WS) at PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, September 26- 27. Lakbay Palay is a field day held by PhilRice twice a year (during the dry and wet seasons) to showcase its rice and rice-based farming technologies to a wide […]

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is set to confer the highest awards in public service to three PhilRice staff  in a fitting ceremony at the Malacañang Palace, Sept. 27. Screened by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for their exemplary performance as outstanding government workers, PhilRice Acting Executive Director Sailila E. Abdula and Scientist Norvie L. Manigbas have been chosen as two of this year’s Presidential Lingkod Bayan Awardees. Meanwhile, Information Systems […]

Good harvest under drought condition is now possible with the development of five breeding lines that can thrive well even with less water in rainfed areas. Bred by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the drought-screened (DrS) lines include DrS 1062, DrS 1085, DrS 1061, DrS 1042, and DrS 1057. The lines, which are identified under moderate to severe drought conditions, were developed from NSIC Rc 9 (Apo). “NSIC Rc […]

Farmers in a first-class municipality in Albay are learning more about rice production through a recently launched public information kiosk. Called PalayTambayan, the facility is housed at the Hibiga Irrigators Association (HRISIA) office in Polangui, and was set up by Philippine Rice Research (PhilRice) in Batang Ligao, Albay. Melanie de Peralta, PhilRice Bicol Research and Development Coordinator, said that farmers, who have limited time in visiting the PhilRice station can access latest […]

Emmanuel Piñol, Department of Agriculture secretary, led the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-appointed Board of Trustees (BOT) and  three deputy executive directors (DED) of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), August 31, Quezon City. Engr. Romeo Vasquez, 56, from Isabela, now sits as the representative of the agribusiness sector in the BOT. Vasquez, a farmer since 1995, received the TOFARM Agricultural Entrepreneur Gold Award in 2013 and the DA’s Regional Gawad […]