New app features Phl rice varieties

Seed quality and varietal information tops all queries in a farmer’s mind.

Every cropping season, new and veteran rice farmers ask, “What variety should I plant now?” Added to this are their concerns on yield and suitability under local condition.

The need for this information motivated ICT specialists Nehemiah Caballong and Paul Austian Alday of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to develop the Binhing Palay app with the National Cooperative Testing Group.

Launched during the recent National Rice Research for Development Conference, the digital application features a catalogue of all released rice varieties in the Philippines.

The app, which can be downloaded in the Google Play Store, provides fast and easy access to basic and updated varietal information. It also works on offline mode.

“Using their smartphones or tablets, farmers, seed growers, extension workers, and other agriculture enthusiasts can use the app to get the latest information on modern rice varieties,” Caballong said.

The app contains 289 rice varieties including their agronomic characteristics, pest and disease resistance, and grain quality. It automatically updates every time a new variety is released and has a sort and filter list feature.

“App users can filter through the list based on location, environment, season, crop establishment, seed classification, or year of release,” the 27-year-old specialist said.

Recommendations for the dry and wet cropping season based on reports from the DA regional offices are also included in the app.