Dr. Sosimo Ma. Pablico

The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) has approved the release of eight new rice varieties - three hybrid and five inbred rice - for commercial planting upon the recommendation of the Rice Varietal Improvement Group.

The RVIG chairman, Dr. John C. de Leon of PhilRice, told The Manila Times that PhilRice bred four of the new inbred rice varieties, while the University of the Philippines Los Banos bred one glutinous rice variety, NSIC Rc13 or Malagkit 1.

The new PhilRice varieties are NSIC Rc128, NSIC Rc130, NSIC Rc15, and NSIC Rc17. NSIC Rc128, popularly called Mabango 1, is the first aromatic rice variety bred by PhilRice.

The three new hybrid rice varieties - NSIC Rc124H (Mestizo 4), NSIC Rc126H (Mestizo 5), and NSIC Rc132H (Mestizo 6) - were bred by Bayer Crop Science, Monsanto Philippines, and SL Agritech, respectively. These are recommended only for specific areas.

Suited for irrigated lowlands, Mabango 1 produced 5,452 to 5,501 kilograms a hectare (kg/ha) in performance trials for three seasons. Its yield was higher than the check variety IR65 by 13.7 percent, and matures in 118 days from seeding.

Highly acceptable in cooked and raw forms, it has good milling and headrice recoveries. It is resistant to deadheart, which is caused by stemborers during the vegetative stage, and has intermediate resistance to bacterial leaf blight (BLB), sheath blight (ShB), and whiteheads, also caused by stemborers during the reproductive stage.

However, de Leon said Mabango 1 should not be planted in areas affected by tungro, blast, green leafhoppers, yellow stemborers, and brown planthoppers.

NSIC Rc130 or Tubigan 3 was produced from the traditional Wagwag variety. It is early maturing ? 104 days as direct wet-seeded and 108 days as transplanted rice. Its yield performance under both transplanted (4,795 to 5,753 kg/ha) and direct wet-seeded (4,615 to 5,333 kg/ha) cultures is fairly acceptable.

Tubigan 3 also has intermediate resistance to blast, BLB, green leafhoppers, and whiteheads, and moderate resistance to deadhearts, but should not be planted in tungro hot spots. It also requires slow drying for better physical and milling quality.

Malagkit 1 produced 4,480 to 4,764 kg/ha - high-yielding for a glutinous variety. Its yield was up by 13.6 percent than the check variety IR65 during the dry season, and taste test panels gave it a better preference score and acceptability rating than IR65. It matures in 120 days, with intermediate resistance to BLB, yellow stemborers and whiteheads. Its milling and headrice recoveries are acceptable, but not suited in areas with tungro, blast and ShB incidence.

Malagkit 2 (NSIC Rc15) is especially high-yielding during the dry season, higher by 12.3 percent than IR65. It matures in 119 to 126 days, and for three seasons averaged 5,412 kg/ha. It has a wide spectrum of resistance against diseases and insect pests but should not be planted in areas infested with tungro, green leafhoppers and brown planthoppers.

Malagkit 3 (NSIC Rc17) is suited for irrigated lowlands. Its average yield across seasons is 4,238 kg/ha, which was 7.2 percent higher than IR65. It is more advisable to plant it during the dry season.

Its milling and headrice recoveries are good. On the average, it matures in 117 days with intermediate resistance to blast, BLB, ShB, rice tungro virus, yellow stemborers and whiteheads.

Mestizo 4 (Bigante) produced an average yield of 5,671 kg/ha across seasons and showed consistent yield performance (6,345 to 6,361 kg/ha) in Isabela. It matures in 118 days. In cooked form, it is preferred than the popular variety IR64, Mestizo 1, and PSB Rc18. It is resistant to blast and has intermediate resistance to BLB, ShB, whiteheads and yellow stemborers. However, it should not be planted in areas frequently affected by tungro, green leafhoppers and brown planthoppers.

On the other hand, the average yield of Mestizo 5 or Magilas (6,231 kg/ha) is much higher than Mestizo 4. It matures early in 110 days. It is highly acceptable both in cooked and raw forms.

It is resistant to blast and has intermediate resistance to BLB, ShB, green leafhoppers, yellow stemborers, and tungro; but highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and not recommended in areas affected by tungro, whiteheads, and brown planthoppers.

Mestizo 6 or SL 8H produces an average yield of 5,914 kg/ha, which is comparable with Mestizo 1. It matures in 113 days and has good milling and headrice recoveries with high cooking expansion.

It is resistant to blast and has intermediate resistance to BLB, ShB and yellow stemborers. However, it should not be planted in areas with high incidence of tungro.

With the release of these new varieties, farmers continue to have a wider choice on the variety that they should plant.