Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

support. The versatile planter/fertilizer applicator in described in Table 6. To elicit the
appropriate and required levels of awareness and acceptance of the program, a public information
campaign is also included.
V. Conclusion
Hybrid maize research is becoming an important component of maize R&D in the Philippines.
Commercial hybrids developed by private seed companies and public breeding institutions
continue to show higher performance compared with their OPV counterparts. The performance of
synthetics has yet to be evaluated in the on-going National Cooperative Test for Maize throughout
the country. With comparable yields obtained from OPVs and hybrids, private seed companies will
be exerting more aggressive effort in the development of superior hybrids.
On the other hand, the availability of several technologies in maize production assures
maize growers of affordable technological options for productive farming. The aggressive and
generous support coming from the government, international research centers like CIMMYT, and the
collaboration among maize investigators in Asia would finally make the industry prosper as it has
long been hopefully expected.
References
AAPP-DA and USAID. 1988. -rhe corn marketing system: A rapid marketing appraisal in Southern
Mindanao region. Bureau of Agric. Stat. 1992. Manila.
CMARRDEC Techno Fora 92. Summary proceedings of the first technology fora R and D Highlights.
USM, Kabacan, Cotabato.
DA-cVIARC. 1992. Annual report for 1992. Unpublished.
Dept. of Agric. 1993. Isabela Province Provincial Profile.
Dept. of Agric. 1993. The medium-term agricultural development plan: Key production areas,
targets, and programs.
FAO. 1993. Yearbook in Agriculture.
Logronio, M. and A.M. Salazar. 1993. A personal interview: Hybrid maize program at the Inst. of
Plant Breeding, UPLB, College, Laguna.
PCARRD-DOST. 1988, 1990, 1991. R&D Highlights.
Philippine Seed Board. 1993. List of released corn hybrids and varieties for 1993.
Sarmiento, R.O. 1992. Versatile low-cost maize planter with Kabacan, Cotabato. Unpublished.
USMARC, Kabacan, Cotabato.
Urbanes, P. 1993. Corn production drops 2% in 1993. Animal Husbandry and Agric. J. 27 (2).
Questions to the author:
FROM Firdaus Kasim
Q How does the seed production system (hybrid) work in the Philippines?
A Hybrids produced by private seed companies are produced (within the country) and marketed
under their management although seed certification standards must be analyzed by the government
through the seed quality center laboratory of the Dept. of Agric.
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