The deployment and validation of high beta-carotene rice varieties in the Philippines and Bangladesh to combat vitamin A deficiency. Development of Philippine Rice Cultivars with Increased Levels of the Provitamin A Beta Carotene (Golden Rice 2) and Resistance to Tungro and Bacterial Blight through Marker-Assisted Breeding. The scale-up of variety promotion in salt-affected areas in Ilocos Sur started with a baseline survey through focus group discussions with key informants (Photo 4) in coordination with the local government units in 2011 WS.
The field performance of 10 varieties released from 2009 to 2013 for saline-prone areas of the Philippines was shown, including one elite line and a popular irrigated lowland variety, PSB Rc82. The field performance of test cultivars, measured in terms of grain yield under salinity stress, varied by genotype or cultivar and technodemographic site. Use and validation of high beta-carotene rice varieties in the Philippines and Bangladesh to combat vitamin A deficiency.
In 2012, two seasons of multi-site field trials (MLT) using nine advanced IR64-GR2R lines were completed under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI). The objectives of the trials were to assess the agronomic performance and efficacy of the product in different growing environments, to assess environmental biosecurity and to produce golden rice grains for various tests necessary to meet the data requirements set by the national government. None of the entries had a yield comparable to wild type IR64 except entry 3, unlike the last two seasons.
Breeding was conducted at two of the MLT sites: (1) PhilRice-Central Experiment Station (PhilRice-CES) in Brgy.
Development of Philippine Rice Cultivars with Elevated Levels of the Provitamin A Betacarotene
The pure yellow BC1F4 plant with resistance to tungro and bacterial bleeding was crossed into four high yielding varieties (NSIC Rc222, NSIC Rc216, NSIC Rc238 and NSIC Rc240) during the 2013 dry season. Selected F1 plants from the above cross were backcrossed to their respective parents during the 2013 wet season. 90 other BC1F4 plants with resistance to tungro and bacterial blight were identified and selected during the dry season.
During the wet season, 21 plants with intermediate response to tungro and resistant to bacterial rust were identified. All were evaluated using race 3 and race 6 and identified to have a high resistance response with lesion length ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 cm.
Pilot testing the Feasibility of Weather Index- Based Crop Insurance
There are four (4) pilot locations in Dumangas, Iloilo, three (3) locations in Tuguegarao City, and four (4) locations in Peñablanca, Cagayan. The GIU, a group/cluster of areas with similar agro-climatic characteristics, such as soil type, crop cultivated, climate type, management practices and risk exposure, was developed. Weather index-based crop insurance (WIBCI) works best when agro-climatic conditions affecting crop production are homogeneous.
In July 2013, initial characterization of sites in the pilot areas (Tables 7 & 8) was also carried out to determine the agro-climatic characteristics of the sites (climate, soil, topography). The existing Soil Series data from the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) was also used as a basis in the site characterization. The geocoded data were then entered into the Geographic Information System (GIS) database and a map generated based on the soil and slope map available from the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Research (Figures 1 and 2).
Soil and slope maps of Tuguegarao City and Peñablanca, Cagayan, showing farmers' and partners' farm locations (red and black dots). Soil and slope map of Dumangas, Iloilo showing the farm locations of farmers and collaborators (red and black dots). Capatan Fernando Tasi brown Silty Clay Loam San Manuel Silt 45 Larion Alto Lope Suyu dark brown Sandy Clay.
Norte Romeo Burac very dark gray silty clay loam Ilagan sandy loam based on actual sampling based on BSWM data. A potted greenhouse experiment (Figure 3), Evaluation of Water Deficit Effects at Different Soil Moisture Levels and Growth Stages on Rice Yield and Yield Components, was established at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station in Nueva Ecija in October 2013. It was designed to evaluate correlations of existing indices with actual crop loss/.
In December 2013, rain gauges were installed in pilot areas to accurately monitor rainfall (Figure 3). The improvised 8-inch rain gauges installed in Cagayan were manufactured in PhilRice CES while those installed in Cagayan were manufactured by PCIC-RO VI. The World Bank mission was held at DA-RFO 2, Organic Building, Tuguegarao City on December 5, 2013.
Wilbur Dee, the PhilCCAP project leader, as well as the representatives of different agencies involved in the project, namely: ATI, PAG-ASA, PCIC-RO 2, PhilRice and LGUs of Tuguegarao City and Peñablanca. The WB mission's activities included visiting the pilot areas in Cagayan by the WB team, as well as the presentation of achievements and 2014 work plans by the agencies involved.
Reduced Tillage Technology and PalayCheck System in Irrigated Rice Production for Increased
Partial budget analysis (economic benefits of intervention) showed an average savings of Php 3,380 per ha on contract basis and Php 1,250/ . ha for the farmers themselves who do tillage adoption. These tillage savings of RT were attributed to faster operating time of 5.09 hours/ha over CT and a fuel saving of 14 liters of diesel or 50% lower than the total fuel consumption of CT. Cost and return analysis for the net 34 sites had an average net income of Php 48,290/ha for the reduced tillage compared to conventional tillage of Php 42,589/ha or a net income benefit of Php 5,700/ha.
The other major benefits of adoption. a) farmers can save time and labor; b) less wear and tear on the machine; c) faster, cheaper and easier land preparation; and d) contribute significantly to the reduction of air pollution due to the shorter operating time of the tractor. After three growing seasons of project implementation with gradually increasing number of techno-demo farms and farmers. The yield was comparable and even higher than that of the usual conventional tillage and it mainly meets environmental concerns.
Higher yield and income can be achieved during dry season if farmers switch from transplanting to full direct seeding technology using plastic drum seeder at sowing rate of 40 kg per ha using quality seeds of best relatives and 18 to 20 kg/ha for hybrid varieties . Farmers must be well equipped with best practices in energy and cost saving technology under the PalayCheck system. Crucial to farmer acceptance of the RT was that a fellow farmer or trained AEW closely supervised and helped maintain it during his first attempt at testing the technology.
For 2014, the continuity and expansion of the project will be led LGUs and more LGUs and farmers will be encouraged to participate in the project by orienting them with the project guidelines, provisions of technical and seed assistance and IEC materials. Interested farmers will be provided with basic seed of 5 to 20 kg of quality seed of preferred varieties for establishing more techno-demo areas on Reduced Tillage.
Season-Long Rice Farming Training Program for Extension Agronomists
Most of the trainees appreciated lecture discussions on the PalayCheck system, nutrient management, rice plant morphology, rice pests and diseases and Agro-ecosystem analysis (AESA). Some of the course participants said that the course also challenged/stimulated their minds to think about the subject in a new way. However, the trainees strongly agreed that they gained a lot of new knowledge and skills from the course and that they now understood and appreciated their work better.
In line with the training development during the season, the trainees also trained the farmers according to the FFS approach. Farmer-managed technology demonstration farms together with farmer training facilitated the adaptation and integration of available technologies into the existing farming system in the municipality of Lupao, Nueva Ecija. Each group of farmers was led by a group of extensionist agronomists who guided the farmers in carrying out this activity.
Before the start of the training, a focus group discussion was held to gather information about the farmers. This information served as the trainees' guide in prioritizing topics and issues to be discussed in the FFS and addressed in the demonstration farms. This process further broadened the field assessment and decision-making capabilities, not only of the farmer-apprentices, but also of the agricultural extension experts.
Among the five varieties tested in each of the barangays, the highest average grain yield (5.9 tons/ha) was obtained by NSIC Rc222 and Rc300, both for irrigated lowland varieties, and the lowest was obtained by NSIC Rc192 (3.7 tons/ha ), a rainy variant. Another rain-fed variety in the participating demo area was NSIC Rc272 with an average yield of 5 tonnes/ha. Although Lupao is generally a rain-fed area, most farmers, especially those who became Farmer Innovators, used water pumps for supplemental irrigation.
FFP – farmer art fertilizer practice FFS – farmer field school FGD – focus group discussion FI – farmer innovator. IPDTK – insect pest diagnostic toolkit IPM – Integrated Pest Management IRRI – International Rice Research Institute IVC – in vitro culture. NCT – National Cooperative Testing NFA – National Food Authority NRO – non-governmental organization NE – natural enemies.
RQCS - Rice Quality Grading Software RS4D - Rice Science for Development RSO - Rice Sufficiency Officer RFL - Rainfed RTV - Tungro Rice Virus. Yield advantage (%) of test cultivars over the control cultivar, PSB Rc82, assessed in salt-affected areas in Brgy.
