Cold-tolerant rice bred by Philrice

A new cold-tolerant and high-yielding rice variety suited to the cool climate of the Cordilleras has been bred.

Called PJ2, the line was developed by scientists of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

It is set to be released this month, reported PhilRice Executive Director Santiago Obien.

PJ2 performed well in trials done over the past few years under the PhilRice-JICA Technical Cooperation Project (TCP 1) or "Japanese Technical Cooperation for the Philippine Rice Research Institute in the Republic of the Philippines."

PhilRice rice breeder Hilario dela Cruz told this writer that the trials were conducted in Tublay, Benguet; at the Benguet State University (BSU) in La Trinidad, Benguet; Sumadel, Kalinga; and Banaue.

PhilRice records show that during the 1996 dry season, PJ2 matured in 134 days at BSU, and 176 days in Banaue.

The traditional varieties planted in the Cordilleras, among them the popular "tinawon" and "pinidua," mature in 160-180 days. Both yield an average of 1.5-2 tons per hectare.

PJ2 yields an average of 4.7 t/ha, Dr. Obien reported during the mid-term review of the five-year TCP 2, officially called "JICA Project-Type Cooperation on Research and Development on High Productivity Rice Technology." The review was held on March 27 at PhilRice in Moñuz, Nueva Ecija.

TCP 1 was started on Aug. 1, 1992 and was completed on July 31, 1997. TCP 2 was launched on Aug. 1, 1997 primarily to develop high-yielding and better-quality rice varieties suitable for mechanization, new farm machinery for small-scale farmers, labor-saving and high-yielding cultivation techniques, improved rice quality evaluation techniques, and mechanized rice-based farm management systems.

During TCP's 2 mid-term review, the Japanese advisory team organized by JICA to assess the project's accomplishments expressed satisfaction over its performance.