Isabela farmers will soon produce Mestiso 73 and Mestiso 99, following the showcasing of Mestizo 1 and Mestiso 20 during the Provincial Rice Technology Forum (PRTF) Field Day in Sotero Nuesa, Roxas, Isabela on Sep. 21.
“There will be more hybrid rice varieties to choose from. Aside from M1 and M20 featured here in PRTF, Mestiso 73 and 99 will soon be produced here in our province,” OIC-Director Joy Bartolome Duldulao announced during the program.
Duldulao explained that the M73 and M99 varieties will undergo varietal trials to assess their yield performance before suitable areas for seed production will be identified.
Public hybrid seeds can be bought at PhP212/kg, cheaper than other hybrids. M1, M20, M73, and M99 can yield from 6.6t/ha to a maximum of 11.7t/ha.
In terms of resistance to pests and diseases, M1 is intermediate to green leafhopper, blast, bacterial leaf blight, and tungro, while M20 is moderately resistant to leafhopper, brown planthopper, and yellow stem borer and intermediate to blast.
More than 800 farmers from different municipalities in Isabela attended the forum, a strategy to promote public hybrids to seed growers and farmers.
Roxas Mayor Jonathan Jose Calderon, PCL Federation President Antonio Hui, DA-RFO 02 Chief of Field Operations Division Engr. Monico Castro, Isabela Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Marites Frogoso, Dir. Imelda Guillermo of Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 02 (ATI-RTC); and representatives from Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. graced the event.
