To promote the latest farming technologies developed by PhilRice, science and technology (S&T) updates were conducted for 109 farmers, municipal legislators, agriculturists, and extension workers in Nagtipunan and Cabbaroguis, Quirino, 21 Sept. and 5 Oct.  “This activity is conducted in various municipalities, and provinces all over the country for legislators’ awareness so they can make informed decisions in the agriculture sector. This is also for farmers to increase their farm […]

Researchers from PhilRice Midsayap in North Cotabato are tapping Muslim religious leaders in disseminating rice information and technologies and integrating the Islamic faith in agricultural development.  Six Muslim religious leaders from the pilot test site in Bgy. Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao were trained for two weeks on the Palaycheck system and other rice farming technologies to serve the community and capacitate their fellow farmers after the training. “Community organizing […]

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Midsayap, North Cotabato has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to conduct skills training and enhancement on rice production for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.  Over 600 4Ps beneficiaries from Libungan, Aleosan, and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato will be trained on rice production specifically on pests and diseases management, chemical handling, and sustainable farming. The P7M project funded […]

PhilRice researchers are developing a virtual farming assistant designed as mobile application for smartphones.  The AgriDoc App features knowledge links, farm journals, and farm management tools. It can also control advanced instruments in the farm. “The application has knowledge links where users can search for any information regarding rice farming; a farm journal where users can record their activities and monitor farm inputs; a scheduler to improve farm tasking and […]

A model farming community anchored on integrated, and diversified rice-based farming system will soon rise in Isabela to help farmers increase their productivity, and profitability. “The said concept is an upgraded Palayamanan System now called Palayamanan Plus,” said Andres L. dela Cruz, PhilRice Isabela science research specialist. Palayamanan is a diversified integrated rice-based farming system focusing on small-scale rice farming households directed towards farm diversification to increase farm productivity and […]

Researchers from PhilRice discovered that growing of azolla is an alternative way to minimize golden apple snail (GAS) damages in transplanted rice.  Dindo King Donayre, lead researcher, said that growing azolla together with rice will divert the appetency of GAS away from the newly-established rice. “The amount of missing seedlings is significantly reduced up to 89.2% per square meter with an average of 60 snails per square meter,” Donayre said. […]

                  The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has released a list of available drought-tolerant varieties to help the farmers prepare for the onslaught of El Niño. The said list contains the names of drought-tolerant varieties and where they can be bought. The list is available for download by clicking this link. Interested parties can also contact the PhilRice Text Center (0920-911-1398) should […]

To help small-scale farmers cope with extreme impacts of El Niño, researchers from PhilRice are developing a cheaper alternative to drip irrigation system.  Drip irrigation system is a method that involves water delivery through a pipe distribution network consisting of a main pipe, sub main, manifold and lateral pipes. The water is emitted through small outlets of drippers or emitters into the soil to be irrigated. However, the system is […]

To strengthen the promotion of technologies in rice production, PhilRice Isabela conducted a training on resource-use efficient technologies in Malasin, San Mateo, Isabela, 17 Sept.  “We invited our farmer-cooperators and focal persons of the Accelerating the Development and Dissemination of Associated Technologies on Rice Production that are Resource Use Efficient project to further enhance their capacity as technology adopters,” said Helen R. Pasicolan, PhilRice Isabela research and development coordinator. Senior […]

Researchers from PhilRice recommended using biomass on rice fields to maintain soil productivity.  Jehru Magahud, lead researcher, identified the factors that affect soil properties and significance of biomass and biochar in restoring the lost nutrients brought by farm management practices. Magahud said that continuous high-yield cropping affects soil pH (measure of alkalinity or acidity). Amounts of soil nutrients are removed during the crop uptake. “Modern irrigated rice varieties remove 17.0 kg […]