The URC continuously conducts intensive research on the varietal improvement of Special Purpose Rice through hybridization. To date, they were able to develop three kinds of special-purpose rice, namely white aromatic, pigmented, and sticky rice. Using the conventional or traditional method (through hybridization), five new varieties were applied for Plant Variety Protection in January 2020 which include: white aromatic – CLS-5, CLS-6; pigmented – CLS-7; and sticky rice – CLS4, CLS-9.

Thirty (30) Sunflower accessions from different sources were characterized using a modified scoring system using the International “Board for Plant Genetic Resources – Descriptors for Cultivated and Wild Sunflower” and “International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants” during 2019-20 season. Oil composition analysis was done on 18 sunflower varieties using GCMS and standard fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) mix. Oleic and elaidic forms of unsaturated fatty acids were recorded. 16 varieties had oil content of 1.78 to 13.9 ml of oil per 50g of sunflower seeds, indicating their potential for oil for food. While the shelf life of sunflower as cut flower was done for the 30 accessions.

Aquashade technology involves installation of netting materials over the pond to provide shade during summer months. Tilapia growers may reap the benefits of this technology, which reduces water temperature by more than 3°C (degree Celsius) and expects to increase spawning rate and seed/fry production by more than 100 percent in both pond-based and hapa-based seed production systems. It aids tilapia production in the Philippines, which is greatly affected by increasing water temperature especially during warm months of the year.

The forage-based pellet feeds are customized feeds for lactating goats to ensure higher milk production and profitable dairy goat enterprise. It is basically nutritionally balanced and productivity enhancer.

Masti-Check is a locally fabricated test kit for the detection of subclinical mastitis (SCM) in goats. It assists goat raisers to quickly diagnose the goat udder affected with SCM for an immediate implementation of mastitis managing program.

Drip irrigation is a technique in which water flows through a filter into special drip pipes, with emitters located at different spacing. In this project, the LWRMC found out that drip irrigated treatments had relatively lower volume of water applied compared to farmer’s practice for the entire field experiments. Results for yield of onion (23.04 – 32.22 mt/ha) and garlic (5.0 – 6.33 mt/ha) under drip irrigation increased by more than 50% of the country’s total production which is 8.7 mt/ha for onion and 3.52mt/ha for garlic.

An affordable and functional automated furrow irrigation system for sugarcane block farms was developed in the first year of implementation. A flexible design package was also developed for varying combination of furrow length and furrow intake to achieve optimum efficiency.

A briquetting machine designed and developed to produce briquettes out of dried and carbonized onion leaves. It comprises three parts: 1) base plate, 2) compaction chamber, and 3) push rod.

From the concept of mixing different ingredients, this ‘chowfan’ for dairy buffaloes is made of water lily and banana stalks. The combinations is considered as a Total Mix Rations (TMR) which reduces the cost of fed production and ensures sustainability of dairying in areas where water lilies or bananas are abundant.

Two foliar fertilizers for vegetables are being developed: 1) moringa plant extract based, and 2) fish wastes and banana peel extract foliar fertilizers. Their potential as supplement to inorganic fertilizer was recorded in hot chili and tomato harvested in September to October 2020.

Dairy goat production is one of the activities of the Small Ruminant Center through which they develop and produce food products with goat’s milk as based ingredient. To date, the Center has developed pasteurized goat’s milk, choco milk, and goat’s milk ice cream with a variety of flavors.

The automatic milk feeding system enables small ruminant raisers to artificially rear about 60 kids or lambs at a time. This results to reduced labor costs in rearing orphaned kids and those from multiparous birth. For dairy goats, high priced goat milk is made available for market instead of feeding to kids which translate to higher revenues. Kids fed using this system during initial trials had an average daily gain of 53 grams.

Bacterial pathogens in freshwater tilapia aquaculture are responsible for mortalities. This laboratory-based rapid detection test kit for A. hydrophila and E. faecalis was developed using colloidal gold nanoparticle-based DNA probes. It can be stored up to three months at room temperature without affecting its sensitivity and specificity which can be used in kitchen-type laboratories.

An instant meal designed as a disaster/mitigation relief food with aromatic rice as the main ingredient. This product was developed by the RM-CARES in partnership with the College of Home Science and Industry.

The URC developed functional or calamity foods using aromatic brown rice processed to produce flour as main ingredient. These are instant aromatic brown rice champorado, biscuit, rice burger, and ready-to-fry crackers.