PhilMech readies tech package to propagate adlay production

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is preparing a package of technologies for wider propagation of adlay (Chinese pearl barley), an alternative staple pushed by the Agriculture department.

PhilMech executive director Rex L. Bingabing said that the agency is perfecting the package of technologies for the postharvest aspect of adlay from existing farm technologies.

“Adlay, while not yet widely planted at present, has a good potential to help local communities assure their food needs. It can be cooked like rice but there is a need to address the postharvest issues related to Adlay which PhilMech is currently doing,” he said.

PhilMech is currently evaluating two milling systems for adlay: rubber-roll type and centrifugal-impact type. Existing rubber-roller type mills can process 12 cavans of unmilled adlay per hour with a 60-percent milling recovery.

The research also showed that threshing of harvested adlay should be in the early hours of the day, and the optimum moisture content should be between 15- to 17- percent during threshing.

Milled adlay grains also faces the same storage issues faced by  rice and corn,  such as insect infestation and fungal contamination.

PhilMech tests showed that a moisture content of around 10 percent for milled adlay grains stored in a hermetic container can protect the grains from insect infestation of up to 1.5 months. Use of the hermetic bag minimized the heavy proliferation of fungal infection during storage. Hermetic bags, that are vacuum sealed, makes it difficult for fungus and insects to thrive.

Hermetic bags last from eight to 10 years if well taken cared of, and are locally manufactured.

PhilMech also conducted cooking tests for adlay, which showed that its water requirement for cooking is not different from milled white rice.

Based on blind taste tests conducted by Philmech for cooked adlay grains, consumers still prefer rice to adlay because of familiarity.

However, adlay and rice mixed at a ratio of 25:75 was also favored by consumers who took part in the blind tests in Munoz.

The DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) is coordinating 32 adlay-related projects involving state colleges and universities and other R&D institutions across the country.

Location-specific technology development of the crop is being implemented in areas identified with potential for commercial production like in Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur where vast areas are planted with adlay to produce seeds for distribution throughout the country.

During planting trials, 11 adlay varieties were identified: gulian, kinampay (ginampay), pulot (or tapol), linay, mataslai, agle gestakyan, NOMIARC dwarf, jalayhay, and ag-gey. From these varieties, three are commonly grown and found in the country: gulian, kinampay (or ginampay), pulot (or tapol).

The Department of Agriculture  is pushing for increased consumption and trade of adlay as an alternative food staple to lessen pressure on rice production.

Adlay, also known as Job’s tears, belongs to the same family of grass such as wheat, corn and rice and is a popular food staple in East and Southeast Asia.

In the Philippines, the grain is largely consumed as an alternative to rice in Zamboanga del Sur, as an alternative to rice and as ingredient in native wine.