New climate-resistant rice varieties for Vis-Min lowlands

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is providing farmers in irrigated lowlands in Visayas and Mindanao access to two climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties suited to conditions in their cultivation areas.

PhilRice lead researcher Thelma Padolina said the varieties – NSIC Rc308 (Tubigan 26) and NSIC Rc358 (Tubigan 30) – have been proven to have “superior” performance in irrigated lowland ecosystems as these have improved resistance to lodging and biotic stresses.

PhilRice started breeding NSIC Rc308 and the NSIC Rc358 in 2013.

Under favorable irrigated lowland ecosystems, NSIC Rc308 has a maximum average yield of 10.9 tons per hectare (t/ha) and matures in 11 days if transplanted.

When direct-seeded, it matures in 105 days and has a maximum yield of eight t/ha.

Under the same farming condition, NSIC Rc358 can also attain a maximum average yield of 5.4 t/ha to 9.1 t/ha if transplanted.

Both varieties are early-maturing, hence having less exposure to stressful conditions.

Padolina said NSIC Rc308 showed superior performance in Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, Eastern Samar, and Aklan based on field tests.

The variety is resistant to pests such as stemborer, brown planthopper, and bacterial leaf light.

NSIC Rc358, meanwhile, is considered as an all-season variety for Visayas.

Padolina said this is suitable for the transplanting culture in the provinces of Samar, Aklan, and Bohol.

“The development of location-specific, high-yielding, and climate change-resilient varieties are among the cost-effective strategies to increase rice yields,” Padolina said.

Farmers interested in gaining access to these climate change-resilient varieties may call or text the PhilRice Center at 0920 911 1398.

The country is experiencing a prolonged dry spell that is expected to intensify in the last quarter of the year and last until the second quarter of 2016.

This weather condition is expected to put a strain on rice production this year as farmers delay plantings.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, palay production is seen to reach 18.86 million metric tons this year, 0.6 percent below the 18.97 million MT output

in 2014. This falls short of the production target this year of 20.08 million MT.

This has prompted the National Food Authority (NFA) to import an additional 750,000 MT of rice for use as buffer stock this year until next year.