Massive production of hybrid seeds to start this season
CALASIAO—To boost rice production in Pangasinan, the government, with the help of partylist Abono, has launched a massive production of hybrid rice seeds, initially targeting 100,000 hectares of land.
The farmlands in 22 municipalities will be tapped for the massive utilization and production of hybrid rice seeds under the new A x R Seed Production Project, according to the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit (DA-RFU).
The project, which seeks to ensure seed requirement for planting and ultimately increase rice production, was launched jointly by Rep. Robert Estrella of the partylist Abono, the DA-RFU, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Agricultural Training Institute and the Bureau of Plant Industry-National Seed Quality Control Standard. (PBI-NSQCS).
Estrella pledged P2,000 financial assistance per hectare of the programmed areas from his congressional fund to answer input subsidy worth while PhilRice will provide for free parental lines or seeds costing P4,000 per hectare.
ATI and BPI-NSQCS will provide season-long training on hybrid rice seed production for seed growers, especially those venturing on this project for the first time.
Technical assistance and supervision of the project will be under the care of DA-RFU I.
The project has been timed to start this wet cropping season in the 22 identified municipalities of Pangasinan.
A x R Seed Production Project requires seed growers committed to the activity to plant parental lines, (male and female parents) that will later produce seeds that will be used as planting materials for rice farmers in the ensuing cropping season.
“A” line is the mother or female parent while “R” line is the father or male parent. Both lines are grown in a seed production project on hybrid.
Compared with inbred varieties seed production, A x R Seed Production is more profitable but entails more time and care.
Massive production of A x R seeds is being strongly pursued and recommended as supply and source of F1 seeds for rice production of farmers has become a problem every planting season.
More seed producers have been adopting hybrid rice production due to its proven productivity and profitability.—LM
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