PhilRice recommends rice varieties to counter El Niño

To mitigate the extreme impact of El Niño currently plaguing the country, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recommended that farmers cultivate drought-tolerant rice to help safeguard production.

 

Several rice strains may be used by farmers as alternative while the country is experiencing the ill effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

 

Farmers in irrigated lowlands may consider early-maturing varieties such as the PSB Rc10 (Pagsanjan) which matures in 106 days with a maximum yield of 7.5 tons per hectare (t/ha), NSIC Rc130 (Tubigan 3) which matures in 108 days with a maximum yield of 7.6 t/ha, and NSIC Rc152 (Tubigan 10) which matures in 109 days with a maximum yield of 8.7 t/ha.

 

Other varieties suited for irrigated lowlands are the NSIC Rc134 (Tubigan 4) which matures in 107 days with a maximum yield of 9.8 t/ha, and the NSIC Rc160 (Tubigan 14) which matures in 107 days with a maximum yield of 8.2 t/ha.

 

For farmers in rain-fed lowlands, the recommended varieties include the NSIC Rc192 (Sahod Ulan 1) which matures in 106 days with a maximum yield of 5.5 t/ha, PSB Rc14 (Rio Grande) which matures in 110 days with a maximum yield of 6.1 t/ha, and PSB Rc68 (Sacobia) which matures in 116 days with a maximum yield of 4.4 t/ha.

 

“These varieties are also known for their drought-tolerant properties preferable in areas where El Niño is expected to hit the worst,” PhilRice said.

 

Meanwhile, farmers in the uplands may use other drought-tolerant varieties such as PSB Rc80 (Pasig) which matures in 112 days with a maximum yield of 8.7 t/ha and NSIC Rc23 (Katihan 1) which matures in 108 days with a maximum yield of 7.6 t/ha.

 

“Farmers can also use water-saving technologies such as controlled irrigation or alternate wetting and drying, aerobic rice, drip irrigation, and reduced tillage technology,” PhilRice said. – Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VS, GMA News