A Masbate official has announced that an 8t/ha-rice yield was harvested in one of their farms during the wet season following recommendations from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program.
“Our usual harvest is only 2.5t/ha. Thanks to the RCEF PalaySikatan techno demo in Mobo, we witnessed that 8t/ha yield is possible,” Provincial Agriculturist Graciana Tagnipez said.
PalaySikatan Farmer Cooperator Ruby Briones attributed her abundant harvest to the use of NSIC Rc 506 that the program promotes.
The variety, also known as Tubigan 41, has long moderately soft grains and matures in 111 days after transplanting and 104 days if directly seeded. It has slight reactions to brown planthopper, green leafhopper, and yellow stem borer but weak against blast, bacterial leaf blight, tungro, and sheath blight.
“Aside from the use of a recommended variety, I also followed the rice production system called PalayCheck and the Minus-One-Element Technique for fertilizer management,” Briones shared.
Meanwhile, farmers in the area also learned about mechanized farming showcased in the demonstration farm.
“I got the chance to operate a walk-behind mechanical transplanter, which I find easy to use and cost saving. I’m thinking of using this in the next planting season,” farmer Andres Espinas said.
