In support of the Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) of the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Rice Research Institute, together with other public and private seed companies, has established technology demonstration (techno-demo) farms on hybrid rice this 2020 wet season nationwide.
The 14 techno-demo farms that occupy a total area of 11ha showcase Mestizo 1 or M1 (PSB Rc 72H) and Mestiso 20 or M20 (NSIC Rc 204H). With 123-day maturity, M1 averages 5.4t/ha with a maximum yield of 9.9t/ha. M20 matures in 111 days, averages 6.4t/ha, and reaches a yield of 11.7t/ha.
The DA’s RRP aims to produce more rice to lift the country’s sufficiency level from the present 87 to 93%. To achieve this, one of the components of RRP is the expanded hybrid rice production. On-farm studies show that hybrid rice yields higher than inbreds by a minimum of 15%.
PhilRice participates in the 11th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) that showcases hybrid rice and other technologies in the 100-ha techno-demo farm in Butuan City,Agusan del Norte.
It also joins the provincial hybrid rice derbies in in Laoag City and Marcos, llocos Norte; Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur; and Santa Barbara, Pangasinan.
- Excited
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The Institute also put up hybrid rice techno-demo farms at the Tarlac Agricultural University in Camiling; Quirino State University in Diffun; Isabela State University in Echague; and Cagayan State University in Piat. Its other farms are established in its stations particularly in Nueva Ecija, Midsayap, North Cotabato, Negros Occidental, and in PhilRice Isabela’s project site in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya.
The RRP is under the administration’s Plant, Plant, Plant Program that seeks to increase national agri-fishery output through the intensified use of quality seeds, appropriate inputs, and modern technologies to increase levels of productivity across all commodities, and thus ensure food productivity, availability, accessibility, and affordability amidst the threat of Covid-19 pandemic.
