3 NEW CLSU RICE VARIETIES GET PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION; NOW READY FOR COMMERCIALIZATION

After 10 years of special rice breeding R&D, the Research Office has developed on white and two pigmented aromatic rice varieties that are now protected for 20 years effective November 22, 2018 under Republic Act 9168 otherwise known as the Philippine Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Act of 2002.                 CLRICE 1, CLRICE 2 and CLRICE 3 are the registered denominations of the new rice varieties. According to Prof. Paulina J. Alvaran, one of the developers and a plant breeder at the Research Office, the said rice varieties are also called CLS 1, CLS 2 and CLS 3 as their common names, respectively.                 She added that all the varieties can adapt in lowland irrigated areas during both wet and dry seasons but better performance is expected during the dry season.                 Prof. Alvaran said that CLRICE 1, the white aromatic rice variety, has slender grain, a maturity period of 112-119 days, plant height of 107-114 cm, and grain yield of 2-5 tons per ha, depending on location and crop management. It has relatively high milling potential of 64.51%.                 On the other hand, of the tow pigmented aromatic rice varieties, CLRICE 2 has higher yield potential (3-5 tons/ha) and milling recovery (60.67%) compared to CLRICE 3 (2-4 tons/ha; and 52%), respectively. However, the maturity of the former is longer (111-126 days) as against the latter (104-106 days).                 The developers also said that both of the pigmented varieties have anthocyanin content in their polished and unpolished forms, with CLRICE 2 having higher values. (Anthocyanin refers to as a natural plant pigment that is responsible for the attractive color and some of the nutraceutical benefits of fruits.)                 The three rice varieties were developed by the research teams led by Dr. Quirino D. Dela Cruz, former/retired Research Director; Prof. Alvaran and Rogelio Nicolas who continually characterized and selected several breeding materials in the past 10 years.                 “The process of developing a plant variety is long-term as it has to comply with pertinent laws, rules and regulations of the Philippines. At the later part of the process, a plant variety is accorded protection if it satisfies the qualifying criteria of novelty, distinctness, uniformity and stability,” Prof. Alvaran also said.                 The relevant characteristics of the subject rice varieties were evaluated vis-à-vis its distinctness, uniformity and stability during the 2017 dry season and 2018 wet season at the Research Office Experiment Station by the duly authorized examiners of the National Plant Variety Protection Board.                 As holder of the Certificate of PVP, the CLSU Research Office has the exclusive rights to authorized any of the following acts: a) production or reproduction; b) conditioning for the purpose of propagation; c) offering for sale; d) selling or other marketing; e) exporting f) importing; and g) stocking for any purpose mentioned above” (Chapter X, Article 58 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9168).                 With the provisions mentioned above, the Office is preparing strategic plans for the commercialization of its production. Promotion of the varieties will be done to include training of seed producers, print and broadcast materials, product development, and participation in trade fairs and exhibits.                 Dr. Maria Excelsis M. Orden, current Director of the CLSU Research Office, spearheaded the submission of pertinent documents to the Bureau of Plant Industry for the table and field evaluation of the relevant characteristics of the candidate varieties.                 To recall, the development of these varieties started during the leadership of Dr. Dela Cruz, Dr. Teotimo M. Aganon, Vice then President for Research, Extension and Training; and the former CLSU President, the late Dr. Ruben C. Sevilleja.                 The development activities continued under the leadership of Dr. MEM Orden and Vice President for RET Dr. Fe L. Porciuncula, with the support of the current CLSU President, Dr. Tereso A. Abella.                 According to Dr. MEM Orden, the Research Office will continue to develop new varieties of special rices through hybridization and gamma irradiation, with Prof. Paulina J. Alvaran and Mr. Jeremias L. Ordonio as lead researchers.