BANGUED, Abra (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Cordillera recently conducted sensory evaluation among farmers in Barangay Agtangao in Bangued, Abra.

This evaluation is part of the Participatory Performance Testing and Validation of Inbred Rice Varieties (PPTV) in the region  under the Next-Gen Plus Project, which aims to enhance the country's rice breeding program.

DA science research specialist Veronica Fangasan explained that the sensory evaluation is an activity following the field day that was earlier conducted in the same barangay.
 
“This is to introduce and demonstrate the new rice varieties. Dua nga klase ti inbred varieties nga in-introduce mi. Maysa diayay irrigated, diayay maimula iti adda irigasyon na, ken diayay maimula nu panagtutudo,” she said.

[We introduced two inbred varieties - one for areas with irrigation, and the other is planted during the rainy season.]
 
The field day conducted on the nine inbred rice varieties allowed farmers to see how the new varieties stand in the field in terms of tillers and panicles of rice. 

Meanwhile, the sensory evaluation is done to find out the preference of farmers in terms of the cooked form of the new rice varieties.

Fangasan said the research was conducted to find out which varieties performed well in the area.

“It can help us determine which varieties we can recommend to farmers, and at the same time, which varieties we can recommend to seed producers,” she shared.

She added that majority of  varieties introduced are rainfed rice varieties.

“Rainfed because all varieties will perform well in irrigated areas. Sa rainfed kasi is meron siyang resistance ng konti sa drought,” Fangasan said.

[Rainfed because all varieties will perform well in irrigated areas. The rainfed varieties are more resistant to drought.]
 
Rainfed varieties, she explained, can survive without water for 7-14 days.
 
The results of this nationwide program will be submitted to the Philippine Rice Research Institute as basis for recommendation for distribution and seed production. 

Agtangao farmer Orlino Acena said that with the new varieties, his yield increased so he was able to sell more rice.

“Mayat met a nga adda new rice varieties ta adu pagpilian ti padak nga farmer. Diayay 480 variety nga inmulak ket simmayaat met bassit,” he said.

[It is good that there are new rice varieties so that farmers will have more to choose from. The 480 variety that I planted yielded more.]

Acena also shared the needs of farmers such as fertilizers, insecticides, and irrigation to help them mitigate the effects of drought on their crops. (JPPM-PIA Abra)