Manila, The Philippines
April 11, 2008
By Melody M. Aguiba
Manila Bulletin
via
SEAMEO SEARCA
The Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice) is pushing for the use of
rainfed-land-suitable high-yielding, disease-resistant rice
varieties that can significantly contribute to the country's
effort to reduce rice import-dependence.
"The country must be able to increase productivity tremendously
if it wants to achieve a semblance of food security and end the
dependence on imported rice," said PhilRice Director Leocadio S.
Sebastian in a statement.
Two bacterial leaf blight (BLB) resistant varieties are being
pushed for a more massive commercial propagation by PhilRice,
the Tubigan 7 and Tubigan 11.
With resistance to BLB, a disease manifested by leaf wilting,
Tubigan 7 can escape damage (which can reach to 40-50 percent of
harvest) and retain yield of five to six metric tons per hectare
which is already a high yield for inbred rice varieties.
Rice authorities believe that the use of these high yielding
varieties has become imperative in the country's aim to cut rice
import which can reach to 2.7 to three million MT this year,
according to estimates.
Tubigan 7 is a recommended variety specially in light of the
present rainy season planting.
Biotechnology advocates have been pushing for the use of new
rice varieties since this is now an important factor in raising
the country's rice production with limited land much of which is
also now being converted to other crops like corn that requires
less water.
PhilRice noted that compared to world's biggest rice
producers-exporters—Thailand which has 9.9 million hectares of
rice fields and Vietnam which has 7.5 million hectares of rice
land— the Philippines only has 1.9 million hectares of rainfed
rice farms.
"In 2004, the Philippines only harvested from 4.12 million
hectares of land while Vietnam profited from 9.82 million
hectares of land that grew rice."
Farmers should take advantage of the fact that government has
been able to develop better inbred varieties faster through more
advanced biotechnology techniques like molecular marker-assisted
breeding.
"While the development of conventional rice takes between eight
and 10 years, genetically enhanced varieties using the tools of
biotechnology would take only five years to develop. While the
initial cost of cultivating biotech rice is higher, the
long-term benefit is positive since the gross income of
individual farmers would rise by at least 26 percent," Sebastian
said.
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