Sugarcane HYVs tested
Half of the one-hectare farm owned by Clemente Flores is planted to Phil 7464, an old variety, while the other half is planted to VMC 84-524, a modern one.
The setup is the same in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
Now growing in half of the one-hectare farm of Federico Cruz is Phil 7544, a common variety, and VMC 84-549 in the other half hectares.
The VMC varieties can yield up to 80 tons cane per hectare compared to the 60 TC/ha of Phil 7464. They also have varying resistance to sugarcane diseaes.
Flores and Cruz are farmer-cooperators in a research project titled “Utilization of High-Yielding Varieties of Sugarcane in Increasing Cane and Sugar Production in Pampanga and Tarlac.”
Launched early this year and expected to be completed by
The project is funded by the Los Baños-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). Implementing and cooperating agencies are the Philippine Sugar Research Instsitute Foundation, Inc. (PHILSURIN) and the Department of Agriculture-Sugar Reguluatory Administration (DA-SRA), respectively.
PHILSURIN, headed by Executive Director Leon Arceo, is a private entity established in 1995 through the initiative of the National Council of Sugar Producers to promote the local sugar industry’s advancement.
The project is overseen by the Mill District Development Council (MMDC)-Tarlac based in this city, with Mauro Merculio as coordinator, and MDDC-Pampanga based in
MMDCs were created by PHILSURIN in sugar-producing districts primarily to identify productivity concerns and problems of the area and develop and transfer improved sugarcane production technologies. Represented in a MDDC are planters, millers, SRA, and other organizations.
Each MMDC has an office, a greenhouse to rear tissue-cultured plantlets, nurseries, hot water treatment facilities, and a weather station.
Under the PCARRD-PHILSURIN-SRA project, one demonstration farm each has been set up in Tarlac and Pampanga.
The project will cover one cropping season (12-14 months).
The main intervention is the use of HYVs. These are planted side by side with old varieties so that their performance can be easily compared.
The rationale behind the project is that 85 percent of the country’s sugar-producing areas are still planted to old and low-yielding varieties.
Generally, PCARRD, PHILSURIN, and SRA noted, farmers are not receptive to applying recommended farm practices. They still have the “to see is to believe” mentality, unless proofs and facts are provided.
Hence, demonstration farms were set up to show the difference in performance between the old varities and the HYVs. — Rudy A. Fernandez
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