R&D Notes

1st saline-tolerant rice variety for Cagayan developed

A rice variety that can thrive in Cagayan Valley’s saline-affected areas has been bred.

Named PSB Rc90 and locally called "Buguey", the variety was a selection of the Cagayan Valley Lowland and Marine Research Outreach Station (CVLMROS) from a pool a segregating lines developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice).

It is the first salt-tolerant rice variety bred for Region 2.

The variety was initially tested along with 104 promising lines in PhilRice’s Saline-Tolerant Observational Nursery (STON) in the 1996 dry season (DS) and further evaluated in the same nursery in the 1997 DS.

While still being evaluated under the Saline Observational Nursery (SON) in the 1997 wet season (WT), the entry was tested in the National Cooperative Testing (NCT) for saline-prone irrigated lowland trial until the 1999 WS and released as a variety in 2000 owing to its exemplary performance under salt-stressed condition.

In a subsequent study done by a CVLMROS research team, PSB Rc90 stood out among the identified rice varieties tolerant to salinity and resistant to other biotic pressures in saline-affected areas of Cagayan.

The team – composed of E.D. Guzman, C Cardenas, E.S. Ladia, F.B. Enriquez, and L.M. Caranguian – recorded their findings in their research titled "Development and use of saline rice (PSB Rc90) in Cagayan Province."

The study was monitored by the Los Baños-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Devellopment (PCARRD).

The researchers reported that under farmers’ field evaluation, PSB Rc90 rated exceptionally good under salinity stress. Its yield was 4.39 tons per hectares at salinity level of 0.32-3 millimos (a salinity measure) per centimeter. However, the yield declined as the salinity level incresed.

Under the technology demonstration project done, the variety yielded 4.47 t/ha with a yield advantage of 123.7 percent over the farmer’s variety. – Rudy A. Fernandez

25 ‘ET supercows’ produced by Los Baños scientists

And now, there are 25 of them.

These are "ET supercows," so fondly named because they were produced through a scientific process that employs superovulation and embryo transfer (SOET), embryo vitrification (rapid deep-freezing of cells), and artificial insemination (AI).

The "supercows" were the initial outputs of the PCARRD-funded, four-year project titled "Production of high quality Philippine dairy-type animals through reproductive biotechniques."

The project was undertaken by scientists and researchers of the UP Los Banos-Dairy Training and Research Institute (UPLB-DTRI) composed of Dr. Antonio Rayos, Dr. Jose Arceo Bautista, Dr. Demetrio Marcial Jr., Conrado Oreiro, Antonio Oliva, and Hermie Salac.

In the project implementation, the research team refined the SOET and embryo (fertilized egg) vitrification techniques to suit local conditions.

Among the project’s outputs was "Doc Pat-ET", the first true first generation Holstein-Sahiwal bull produced in the country through embryo transfer, using pure Holstein Friesian donor and frozen semen from pure Sahiwal bull.

"Doc Pat-ET", named after PCARRD executive director Patricio S. Faylon, himself a noted animal scientist, and the other male ET animals born after it are now showing signs of genetic superiority relative to their counterparts, reported PCARRD Livestock Division assistant director Dr. Elaine F. Lanting.

"They are now being trained for semen production," Dr. Lanting added.

On the otehr hand, the female ET animals born in 2001 have been bred. One of them gave birth last February to a female calf and now produces milk at 12-14 liters per day (local cows average 8-10 1/day).

Ten ET heifers will soon be introduced into the milk production line.

The project has also used rapid deep freezing of 50 good quality embryos, which will be transferred later to recipient animals in the DTRI and National Dairy Authority-assisted dairy farms in various parts of the country.

"The production of a significant number of ET heifers and bulls with varying blood compositions of the Holstein Friesian and Sahiwal breeds that can be used in establishing the type of an adaptable local breed off dairy animals are among the project’s landmark results," Dr. Rayos said. "Moreover, the 63 percent pregnancy rate attained in this project is very high, the highest rate among ET conducted locally in cattle, and may be considered as one of the highest in the world." – RAF

Rehabilitate mine tailings areas with bamboo — DENR-CAR

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Rehabilitate barren mine tailings areas with bamboo.

This advice comes from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR).

It based its recommendation on the results of its study titled "Various Bamboo Species for Rehabilitation of Mine Tailings Dam and Acid Rock Area in Philex Mining Corporation."

DENR-CAR researcher Fatima Tangan presented the results of the study at the "Regional RDE Highlights Symposium, Farmers’ Forum and Rice Festival" held recently at the Benguet provincial capitol here under the auspices of PCARRD, Benguet State University (BSU), Highland Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (HARRDEC), and Benguet provincial government.

Tangan reported that in the study done by DENR-CAR and Philex Mining Corp. (PMC), three bamboo species – kauayan tinik, bayog, and giant bamboo – were planted to revegetate the mine tailings pond No. 1 of PMC in Padcal, Tuba, Benguet, from November 1999 to August 2003.

Results of the three and a half-year study showed that kauayan tinik had a 99 percent and bayog, 97 percent. Giant bamboo recorded a 72 percent survival rate.

As also pointed out by PCARRD"s Dr. Leila America, these are drought-resistant species, and can tolerate water-logging up to 63 days. Despite the low organic matter and nitrogen content of mine tailings areas, about 90 percent of these species survive. – RAF