Thirteen new and high-yielding inbred and hybrid rice varieties were championed earlier today, September 28, through a Field Walk at the President’s Farm.

The tour was led by Dr. Santiago Obien, technical consultant and senior adviser of the Department of Agriculture, OIC Branch Director of PhilRice, Ms. Hazel Jane Orge, and division chiefs of the agency, and MMSU President, Shirley C. Agrupis with Dr. Dionisio Bucao of the Research Directorate and Dr. Aris Reynold Cajigal, the Director for Extension. Participants of the farm visit toured around the 1 hectare demonstration farm with Ms. Leylani Juliano, Chief SRS and R&D Coordinator, sharing the characteristics and potentials of the varieties.  

The President’s Farm showcases eight public and private hybrid varieties now almost 60 days after transplanting, and five inbred varieties at 30 days after transplanting. The Farm is located at the southwestern portion of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development (CAFSD).

The President’s Farm was established last July 28, 2021, led by Dr. Santiago Obien who also spearheaded the project as a ‘showcase of yield-increasing technologies particularly on the use of high-yielding and early maturing rice varieties’ and encourage rice farmers to adopt these technologies offered by research.

“We will also be showcasing the President’s Farm to our high school students to start inculcating early in them that the Agriculture sector needs them to sustain the vigor and generate more technologies for food security”, said President Shirley Agrupis, on how the demonstration farm can benefit more youth and community members.

Hybrid varieties planted are the 8-10 ton yielders and early maturing varieties (109-115 days after sowing). These include BR 650 (NSIC Rc 180H) produced by BioSeed, Habilis Plus (NSIC Rc 410H) produced by Bayer, Batari Indra 01 (NSIC Rc 406H), Mestiso 20 (NSIC Rc 204H) produced by PhilRice, the SL-19H (NSIC Rc 488H), SL-9H commonly known in the market as Dona Maria, and SL-613H by SL-Agritech, and PHB 73 by Corteva. Mestiso 20 of PhilRice is hoped to reach farmer’s preference as it matures early at 111 days after sowing with an average yield of 6.4 tons per hectare and a potential yield of 11.7 tons per hectare. Fertilizer management applied for these varieties is at 203-42-102-85 kg NPKS per hectare in five applications. Some of these varieties are now at their maximum tillering, some at flowering, and some at milking stage.

The inbred varieties planted in the demonstration farm this August 25-27 are the 400 and 500 lines of registered varieties that include NSIC Rc 402 (Tubigan 36) developed by PhilRice, and NSIC Rc 400 (Tubigan 35), NSIC Rc 480 (GSR 8), NSIC Rc 508 (Tubigan 42), and NSIC Rc 512 (Tubigan 44) developed by IRRI. These varieties mature early at 108-114 days after sowing with the exemption of the NSIC Rc 480 (GSR 8) that matures at 120 DAS. PhilRice-developed NSIC Rc 402 (Tubigan 36) is hoped to spur substantial increase in yield of rice farmers with its potential yield at 14.0 tons per hectare. Fertilizer rate applied is at 162-35-75-48 kg NPKS per hectare.

By next year, it is hoped that these rice varieties will also be showcased in the 25 hectare CARES Farm of the University. Showcasing these varieties coupled with the smart agri-technologies in the University is envisioned to encourage more and more farmers in adopting these yield-increasing yet cost-reducing technologies.

With PhilRice as one strong support of the University in its initiatives for the Agriculture sector, the University hopes to provide strong support to Agriculture sector and community members in sustaining the vigor of the rice sector. As a national University in Agriculture, the University takes pride in being the only SUC in the region with a President's Farm that showcases these rice varieties and technologies in collaboration with PhilRice. 

The President’s Farm is one of the collaborative projects of MMSU and PhilRice. It can be recalled that the Rice Paddy Art, recently opened this September, is also a collaborative project between the two institutions to promote agriculture and foster technologies for food security and sustainability.

Similar story at: https://mmsu.edu.ph/news/presidents-farm-highlights-agri-technologies 

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