Allied Botanical develops 3 new crops

MANILA, Philippines – Two new high-yielding and disease-resistant corn and one cucumber varieties have been bred by a research company.

Now in the market, the crops were developed by Allied Botanical Corp. (ABC), the country’s only fully Filipino-owned vegetable breeding company.

ABC, headed by its president and general manager Willy Co, named its new corn varieties as White Ivory F1 and Batik and its cucumber as Malvar White F1.

White Ivory F1, a hybrid glutinous waxy corn, has a potential marketable fresh ear yield of nine tons per hectare and grain yield of 5 t/ha.

It has very good eating quality and good husk cover, and its ears are long and large. Maturing in 60 days after emergence, the variety is vigorous, sturdy, and resistant to Rhizoctonia and sheath blight.

Batik, a specialty waxy corn, is “very sweet and tender,” ABC reported.

The bicolor (violet and white) variety, which has additional protein and vitamins in its endosperm, has a yield potential of 7 t/ha.

Vigorous and resistant to insect pests and diseases, Batik matures in 65 days after emergence.

Malvar White is a cucumber variety with very high yield.

“This variety is very prolific with marketable fruit in almost every other node,” ABC stated.

Moreover, it is tolerant to diseases such as downy mildew and Cercospora leaf spot. Its first fruit can be picked 35 days after sowing.

ABC corporate communication manager Rommel Lopez said those interested in the new crops can communicate with the company at its office on 21st avenue, Cubao, Quezon City at telephone numbers (+632) 437-6606 to 08; 0917-812-0264/ 0922-815-0056; and Fax (+632) 911-0159. – Rudy A. Fernandez.