Ecija farmer’s palay yield comes close to world record

SAN JOSE CITY — A palay yield that came close to the world record has been achieved by an outstanding farmer from this Nueva Ecija city.

From a hectare of his 19-hectare farm in Barangay Tondod here, multi-awarded farmer Fernando Gabuyo Jr., 56, harvested 332.5 cavans, hitherto the highest palay yield recorded in the country.

The world record for the highest yield is more than 17 tons/hectare achieved in China, which developed the first hybrid rice.

Australia’s highest yield, on the other hand, is 16.8 tons or 336 cavans per hectare, according to the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice).

Among those who witnessed the harvesting and threshing of Gabuyo’s palay yield last April 13 and 14, respectively, were San Jose City agricultural officer Rogelio Malunay and agricultural technician Josephine Avila, municipal councilor Restituto Domingo, Tondod residents led by barangay chairman Benjamin Salting, Philippine Orchard Corp. (Philor) president Alfonso Puyat, and representatives of Bayer CropScience (which bred the hybrid rice Higante planted by Gabuyo) and DA-PhilRice.

The event seemed like a rice festival day in Tondod as residents celebrated as the threshed palay was placed in 50-kilogram sacks. When it was over at dusk, they applauded.

A number of factors contributed to the record harvest. First, Gabuyo used a hybrid rice variety.

Second, he applied additional inputs that enabled the palay to become robust and higher-yielding.

Third was the innovativeness of Gabuyo who, in his 34 years of farming, together with his wife Erlinda, 54, has mastered the scientific way of rice production.

From a few hectares when they began farming, the Gabuyos, parents to three professionals and a high school student, now own 19 hectares.

At best, Gabuyo’s feat bolstered the advantages of using a hybrid rice variety, which is the product of crossing two rice plants with superior qualities, resulting in a phenomenon called "hybrid vigor" or "heterosis." The young palay seedlings produce long roots and broad leaves, enabling them to take up more nutrients from the soil and thus, produce more grains.

Moreover, Gabuyo applied other scientifically tested inputs developed by Philor headed by Puyat, an economist-inventor who has engaged in research for years.

The relationship between Gabuyo and Puyat began after Bayer CropScience bestowed on the farmer the Higante Higanteng Ani award last year.

Upon reading Gabuyo’s feat in a newspaper, Puyat sought Malunay’s help to arrange a meeting with Gabuyo.

In their first meeting, Puyat asked Gabuyo if he could try his products. Gabuyo agreed.

The first trial took place during the 2004 wet season (July-October). Gabuyo applied Philor’s ANAA and X-Rice. He harvested 192 cavans/hectare of Higante and 177 cavans/hectare of Rc 82 (an inbred or ordinary rice).

During the current dry season, Gabuyo harvested 342 cavans/hectare (the yield during the dry season is much more than during the wet season).

For his outstanding accomplishments as a farmer, Gabuyo has been the recipient of a number of awards over the years.

Last year alone, he bagged four awards: Outstanding Hybrid Rice Commercial Grower from the Department of Agriculture; Higante Higanteng Ani award (first prize, Luzon) from Bayer CropScience; Outstanding Farmer of San Jose City; and Outstanding Farmer-Participant in the Hybrid Rice Timpalak Angat Ani at Kita.