Farmers in Brgy. Biclat, San Miguel, Bulacan are taking advantage of the rainy season by saving rainwater for their rice farms’ use during dry months. Small farm reservoirs (SFR) help them do so. SFR, according to Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), is a water impounding structure with a maximum height of embankment of 4 meter and average pond area of 1,500 square meters. Farmers with areas no more […]

Rice farming is a good source of biomass energy. Engr. Alexis T. Belonio, in a lecture given at PhilRice Los Banos on July 15, said rice husks and straws, found in the rice farming environment have so much potential as energy sources. For an average harvest of 4.5 t/ha, there are around 900 kg of rice husks and 4,500 kg of rice straws. “At 3,000 kcal/kg of rice husks and […]

Poor to zero germination of sown seeds is one of the major problems of farmers who practice direct wet seeding during rainy season. Experts at the Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division of PhilRice are working on a study titled Germination under water: Wanted trait for direct wet-seeded rice to solve this problem by identifying breeding lines with high anaerobic germination rate. Anaerobic germination is the ability of the rice seeds […]

                Rice productivity remains a challenge in Isabela, despite being the second largest province in the country with favorable rice-growing environment, according to Isabela Provincial Agriculturist Danilo Tumamao. In a stakeholders’ meeting organized by PhilRice Isabela at Cagayan Valley Research Center on July 7, stakeholders from public and private sectors were gathered to solicit their engagement in helping rice-based communities towards inclusive and […]

Sowing rice seeds in straight rows directly into the soil is now made easier with the reduced-till planter. As the name connotes, the reduced-till planter works in minimally prepared soil at a predetermined seeding rate, with an option to simultaneously apply basal fertilizer. The machine can also be used to plant other crops such as maize, soybean, and mungbean. The machine is a product of collaboration among the DA National […]

Comprising about 19% of the total labor cost in rice production, land preparation can be worrisome for farmers. Experts at the Rice Engineering and Mechanization Division (REMD) of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) find ways to ease farm drudgery while reducing labor cost. They developed a 3-disc plow attachment for hand tractors to make land preparation less laborious and more economical for farmers. Engr. Elmer Bautista of PhilRice’s REMD […]

PhilRice is set to launch a book on engaging young people in agriculture at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna, July 13, 1-5pm.  Youth & Agriculture: The Infomediary Campaign in the Philippines relates the experiences and how-tos of PhilRice project on Infomediary Campaign Campaign team lead Jaime A. Manalo IV is the main author, with contributions from team members […]

A PhilRice crop protection expert reminds farmers that early detection is the best way to prevent spread of diseases in rice.     Rice diseases are more prevalent during the rainy season as weather conditions are more conducive to disease development and severity. Dr. Jennifer T. Niones from the Crop Protection Division (CPD) of PhilRice mentioned bacterial leaf blight (BLB), fungal diseases like rice blast, sheath blight, and rice tungro […]

Three teams of PhilRice experts won awards in the 46th Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP) Scientific Conference held in General Santos City, June 13-18. The study titled Potential of Algae as Aquaculture Feed Ingredient won the Best Paper award for downstream category. It was authored by researchers from the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division (RCFSD) of PhilRice, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – National Freshwater […]

With the increasing per capita intake of rice in the country, researchers at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are studying a way to eat healthier and diversify Filipinos’ diet. PhilRice food researchers explore the feasibility and consumer acceptability of adlai mixed with rice. They call it rice-adlai blend. “We chose adlai owing to its very similar characteristics with rice. True enough, our sensory evaluation showed that rice eaters find […]