Disease ravages famed 'unoy rice'

BAGUIO CITY ,Philippines  –  A dreaded rice disease is ravaging the famed “unoy rice” in Kalinga, an export rice variety that has established niche markets in the United States and Europe.

Magnaporthe grisea, also known as rice blast fungus, rice rotten neck, rice seedling blight, blast of rice, oval leaf spot of graminea, pitting disease, ryegrass blast, and Johnson spot, has reportedly destroyed 60 hectares there.

Government rice specialist  Joe Casibang of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist  (OPAG) said at least 75 metric tons worth P3.7 million has already been destroyed by the rice blast fungus.

When sold,  the value of the destroyed “unoy” reached P6 million.

The disease is a plant-pathogenic fungus. Initial symptoms are white to gray-green lesions or spots with darker borders produced on all parts of the shoot, while older lesions are elliptical or spindle-shaped and whitish to gray with necrotic borders. Lesions may enlarge and coalesce to kill the entire leaf.

Symptoms are observed on all above-ground parts of the plant.

The disease also affects reproduction by causing the host to produce fewer seeds. This is caused by the disease preventing maturation of the actual grain.

The fungus is known to occur in 85 countries worldwide.

Accordingly, rice blast causes an annual economically significant crop losses. Each year it is estimated to destroy enough rice to feed more than 60 million people around the world.

Casibang said that in the last harvest season, unoy farmers from Tabuk City, Balbalan, Pasil, Lubuagan, Tinglayan and Tanudan towns suffered huge losses because of the disease.

Unoy rice farmers in Kalinga began selling the famed red rice in the US and Europe in 1987.

Casibang said they are now busy studying ways on how to change into a less-prone rice seedling variety of the “Unoy” among farmers in Kalinga.