The Search for Rice Varieties Adapted to Rain fed Growing Conditions

Abstract

Traditional rainfed rices are generally low yielders, tall, weak-strawed, and late maturing. To facilitate their improvement, the Cooperative National Rice Varietal Improvement Program was organized and launched in 1953 and continued up to the present with some revisions. The U. P. College of Agriculture and the Bureau of Plant Industry undertook the breeding work while the Bureau of Agricultural Extension and agricultural schools and colleges conducted the multilocation tests of new selections. Outstanding selections were recommended to the Seed Board for approval and release. Since then until 1996, 18 upland, 14 rainfed lowland, and 72 irrigated lowland, varieties were released. Comparison of the perfonnance data on the released rain fed varieties revealed that there was hardly any perceptible increase in the yield of newer varieties. Hence, breeders are advised to utilize relevant findings from related disciplines in modifying the procedures and criteria for selection of the plant type appropriate to rainfed environments so as to achieve further yield improvement.

Keywords