DA-PhilRice tech now up for commercialization

It’s now popularly known in the rice world as MOET.

Officially, the technology is called "Minus-One-Element Technique: Nutrient Deficiency Test for Lowland Rice Soils."

The technology was developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) over the past few years in experiments done in various parts of the country.

MOET was among the "mature technologies" showcased during the 2006 National Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum organized recently by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

Dr. Cezar Mamaril and Josue Descalsota of PhilRice discussed the technology during the forum.

MOET is a crop diagnostic tool that identifies the limiting or deficient nutrients in the soil through a simple pot experiment. It is based on the "law of minimum" principle wherein the level of plant production can be no greater than that allowed by the most limiting of the essential plant growth factors.

Some of the indicators manifested by plant in reaction to the limiting nutrient(s) are reduced plant height and tiller counts, discoloration of the leaves, delayed maturity and small panicles.

"The plant itself is a good indicator on what is going on in the soil. Identify first what is limiting in the soil and be assured of an increase in yield," Dr. Mamaril said during the opening forum, as reported by BAR’s Rita dela Cruz.

He added: "MOET may sound too technical, but it is actually farmer-friendly as no technical knowledge is required to determine the deficient nutrient of the soil. MOET is friendlier and easier to use than the conventional soil test kit being used in the laboratory."

Ten thousand MOET kits were initially produced, of which 4,000 were positioned in the two PhilRice branch stations in Mindanao and the remaining 6,000 distributed equally to the PhilRice central experiment station in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; PhilRice Isabela in San Mateo town; and PhilRice Los Baños.

The accredited producer continues to churn out more kits in view of the demand for them.

"Commercializing MOET will greatly improve lowland rice production and may in fact provide saving on fertilizer cost to farmers as claimed by some who had experienced using MOET," BAR stated.

The government’s ‘Ginintuang Masaganang Ani-Rice Program’ has identified MOET as one of the interventions in the promotion of rice production technologies.

A hands-on training on the conduct of MOET is always included in the rice production activities of the region, BAR reported. – Rudy A. Fernandez