The Philippines
July 14, 2006
By Rocel C. Felix,
The Philippine STAR via
SEAMEO SEARCA
The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) has approved for
commercialization, the country's first marker-aided bred,
high-yielding, bacterial leaf-blight resistant, hybrid rice
variety. Developed by the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)," the new variety"
shows great promise in terms of yield, in grain quality and in
reducing, if not completely eliminating bacterial leaf blight
disease that attacks rice farms especially during the wet
season."
Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian, executive director of PhilRice, said
the new variety, called NSIC Rc 142 or Tubigan 7, was developed
by combining two high-yielding rice varieties, the IRC4 and PSB
Rc 14. He said the marker-aided selection breeding employed by
PhilRice plant breeders show the NSIC Rc 14 is more adaptable
under direct wet-seeded culture, but can also be used under
transplanted culture.
He added that NSIC Rc 142 which was tested under various
conditions in selected sites nationwide for three and a half
years, yielded higher than most existing hybrid rice varieties
that yield an average of 5.5 metric tons per hectare.
"This variety is already being planted by farmers, and its
expanded use would be advantageous to farmers because NSIC Rc
142 is early maturing, just 105 to 112 days. Its grains have
good milling quality and physical attributes, as well as low
amylase content and good eating quality," said Sebastian.
Another benefit for farmers shifting to this variety is that it
is also resistant to major pests such as bacterial leaf blight,
sheath blight, stemborers, green leafhopper and brown
planthopper.
Sebastian said this new variety, along with other hybrid rice
varieties currently being tested by PhilRice, should boost the
Department of Agriculture's (DA) goal of becoming
self-sufficient in rice and do away with costly importations by
2010.
Despite inadequate budget support, DA's Ginintuang Masaganang
Ani (GMA) rice program is banking on the expansion of the
hectarage devoted to hybrid rice planting.
Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban announced earlier
this year that self-sufficiency in rice is achievable by late
2009 or early 2010.
"We are confident that if we are able to properly carry out our
rice production program and get the support that we need, we
will be able to hit a 99.9-percent self-sufficiency in rice by
2009, and possibly even have surplus production," said
Panganiban, adding that increasing rice production is being
prioritized to meet a growing population. |