The Rice Varietal Improvement Team (RVIT) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) received the 2016 outstanding research team award during UPLB’s 108th Foundation Day on 6 March. 

 

Since 2011, the RVIT Team has introduced five rice varieties, which are products of hybridization and selection adapted to rainfed lowland rice ecosystems and drought conditions. These varieties have been certified by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) of the Philippines and are commercially available as NS Rc276 (Sahod Ulan 4), NSIC Rc282 (Sahod Ulan 7), NSIC Rc286 (Sahod Ulan 9), NSIC Rc398 (Tubigan 34), and NSIC Rc 418 (Sahod Ulan 14).  In 2009, the team, in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute, released NSIC Rc204H (Mestiso 20), the first two-line hybrid rice in the country. The RVIT continues to pursue developing superior rice varieties, which is a task that began in the 1960s. 

 

The RVIT Team is led by Dr. Jose Hernandez of the Institute of Plant Breeding and is composed of Teresita Borromeo, Pompe Sta. Cruz, Danilo Lalican, Senen Escamos, Sancho Bon, Ernesto Cayaban, Jr., Ann Mylalulex Magnaye, Katrina Malabanan-Bauan, Alfredo Sinohin, Ester Magsino, Fe Alzona, Angelina Felix, Melissa Pino, Edna Mercado, Juan Mateo, Loreto Caoagdan, Romeo Juarez, and Bernalito Nuñez.