CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has introduced 14 new rice varieties to its demonstration farms in Isabela.
The new varieties were introduced by agriculture technicians at their rice demonstration farms at the PhilRice Isabela station during the Lakbay Palay activity, attended by local farmers from the Cordillera and Cagayan Valley.
Joy Bartolome Duldulao of PhilRice said that the rice varieties include 10 inbred and 4 hybrid varieties, all of which are adaptable to both dry and wet cropping seasons.
Among the rice varieties suited for the dry and wet seasons are different inbred variants of the NSIC RC variety, while Mestiso variants and Longpin were introduced as hybrid varieties.
Duldulao said the development of new rice varieties is part of the institution’s efforts to produce rice varieties that are resilient to climate changes to ensure continuous production of the Filipinos staple food.
The Lakbay Palay activity of PhilRice is conducted annually, showcasing various new rice technologies, machinery, and rice varieties to farmers.
The program, Duldulao said, aims to introduce rice production methods to help increase harvests and support the government’s food security program. (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)
