A sunburned grain Stamps of approval Pockets of gold in ... - adron.sr

Made for theTROPICSCHRIS QUINTANA (3)by Kyung-Ho KangTraditionally grown in cooler regions, japonica varieties,which are developed by IRRI, can now be cultivatedunder the warmer climate of the PhilippinesRice is more than a staple foodin Asia. It is ingrained inthe culture—not to mentionadapted to the topography andclimate of particular countries—thatsometimes respective ethnic groups canbe distinguished from each other basedon the type of rice they grow and eat.While South and Southeast Asians, forexample, prefer long-grain rice such asbasmati and jasmine, Northeast Asiansprefer medium-grain rice, known asjaponica. This latter type of rice thrivesin temperate areas. Hence, in countrieswhere it is not traditionally grown,consumers need to pay more to obtain it.This may soon change, however, asthe International Rice Research Institute(IRRI) has recently developed twotemperate japonica rice varieties releasedin the Philippines. The Rice TechnicalWorking Group of the National SeedIndustry Council through the NationalCooperative Tests Network, led by thePhilippine Rice Research Institute, hasapproved two temperate japonica ricecultivars, NSIC Rc170 or IRRI 142 andNSIC Rc220 or IRRI 152, for largescaleplanting. This development isexpected to provide local farmers withhigher returns, and subsequently, allowconsumers to enjoy this quality rice at amore affordable price.Adapting to the tropicsIRRI’s japonica rice breeding program,which is now known as GermplasmUtilization Value Added (GUVA),started in 1991, in collaboration withthe Republic of Korea, to develophigh-quality, high-yielding temperatejaponica rice cultivars that can adaptand grow in the tropical zone. Underwarm conditions, most temperatejaponica rice varieties show stuntedgrowth and develop weak tillers,small panicles, and premature headingbecause these varieties are sensitive toshort daylength and high temperature.So, during the initial stage of thebreeding program, every year, scientistsidentified and selected, from the KoreanSeed Multiplication Project’s nursery,germplasm (plant genetic material)that showed good performance in thePhilippines. These selections servedas base materials to develop breedingpopulations of temperate japonica ricethat can adapt to tropical conditions.They were found to be less sensitiveto longer exposure to sunlight andhigher temperature, and also did notdiffer much in plant growth under thevarying environments of Korea and thePhilippines.The first of the two cultivars inthe Philippines, NSIC Rc170 or IRRI142, now called MS11, was releasedin 2008. MS11 is a cross between twovarieties from the Republic of Korea,namely, Jinmibyeo and Cheolweon 46.Jinmibyeo has high grain quality, whileCheolweon 46 has high resistance topests and diseases in tropical conditions.The product, MS11, is a semidwarf (90cm), early-maturing (112 days) variety,and has the typical characteristics ofjaponica grain—short rounded shape,low amylose content (15.5%), and lowgelatinization temperature. In the threeseasonmultilocation trials from the wet34 Rice Today April-June 2010