Mabini, Pangasinan ― Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in this town trained on agriculture to build self-reliant farm households and communities. “We wanted to motivate the participants to engage in entrepreneurial activities by presenting some livelihood opportunities in agriculture,” says Dr. Ofelia Malonzo, PhilRice’s supervising science research specialist and project lead. This initiative was created through the partnership between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), […]

Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – PhilRice engineers developed a local riding-type rice transplanter  that can double efficiency while reducing farmers’ cost in rice production. “The team started with the existing technology from Japan. The only problem is the availability of its spare parts since it is imported. If it’s locally manufactured, spare parts would be available here,”  Engr. Arnold S. Juliano, head of PhilRice’s Rice Engineering and Mechanization […]

Artificial pollination provides possible solution for efficient and synchronized pollination of male and female flowers of Mestiso 19 (M19), according to PhilRice Study. In the research titled Pollen banking for synchronized pollination: Strategy to increase seed yield of Mestiso 19, artificial pollination was conducted by storing sufficient amounts of viable pollen from the male parent in a container and loading it into the stigma of the female parent. M19 is […]

A PhilRice-led study titled Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for high-temperature tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) won the Outstanding Scientific Paper Award during the 39th National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST Phils) Annual Scientific Meeting held at Manila Hotel, July 12-13. Researchers of the study Dr. Norvie L. Manigbas and Jupiter L. Grospe from PhilRice, and Evaristo A. Abella of the Central Luzon State University identified nine QTLs containing […]

A PhilRice study found that unpolished pigmented rice (red or black rice) has high phytochemical contents and health-promoting properties making it a healthier alternative to white rice. In the study titled Healthier red and black rice: Not your ordinary staple food, 45 red rice and 25 black rice varieties collected from various provinces in the country were compared with white rice (Enolayan variety). They were characterized in terms of proximate […]

PhilRice’s food scientists found that lees, a residue from tapuy (Philippine rice wine), is an alternative nutrient-rich ingredient to baked food products. In a study by Rosaly Manaois and Amelia Morales, results showed that rice wine lees significantly improves the protein and dietary fiber content of brownies, a popular Filipino snack food. This finding comes from the paper, Nutritional and sensory quality of brownies supplemented with Tapuy (Philippine Rice Wine) […]

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – Twenty senior agriculture students from Jose Rizal Memorial State University (JRMU) in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte completed a week-long training program on the science of rice production at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station, June 19-23. According to Richard D. Romanillos, senior science research specialist of PhilRice’s Technology Management and Services Division, the training will help the younger generation realize the importance of understanding the science of […]

Eight research teams of PhilRice won awards in the 47th Federation of Crop Science Societies of the Philippines (FCSSP) Scientific Conference held in Iloilo City, June 13-16. The PhilRice Rainfed lowland/stress environment rice breeding and variety development team received the CSSP Achievement Award in technology development. Led by its principal breeder Dr. Nenita Desamero, the team was recognized for their contributions in developing high-yielding, pest-resistant, and good-quality breeding lines for […]

MIDSAYAP, NORTH COTABATO ― The Department of Agriculture turned over P25.9 million worth of farm machineries to farmers’ associations, fishing communities, and local government of Midsayap, June 1. Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol led the mass distribution of 94 machines that include 11 mobile corn shellers, 21 mobile rice threshers, 28 hand tractors with tiller and accessories, 17 floating tillers, 4 trailers, 10 trailers with engine and transmission, and 3 four-wheel […]

In the light of the issue of unlimited rice serving in food establishments, one piece of advice from the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is – Be Riceponsible! The Institute, through its Be Riceponsible Campaign, has affirmed that eating too much rice has ill effects to human health. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that excessive rice intake may adversely affect glucose […]