Published January 1, 2021, 5:00 AM
After 10 years of research and development, the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has obtained the approval of the National Cooperative Test (NCT) for the country’s first high temperature-tolerant rice varieties.
As a result, the varieties, which will be named NSIC Rc 600 and Rc 602, is now up for approval and registration by the National Seed Industry Council for commercialization.
Seeds will be available in two or three planting seasons, PhilRice said.
The rice varieties, according to their lead breeders Norvie L. Manigbas and Nenita V. Desamero, are products of 10 years of breeding in response to the threat of climate change to rice production.