INTEGRATED R & D FOR RAINFED AROMATIC RICE IN CENTRAL LUZON

Quirino D. Dela Cruz, Mario B. Agustin, Nenita E. dela Cruz, Charlito R. Juico, Fe L.
Porciuncula, Armando N. Espino Jr., Marvin M. Cinense, Jonathan L. Galindez, Melchor P.
Pascua, Rogelio R. Nicolas, Jocelyn A. Nicolas, Veronica Cinense, and Marvin S. Estimada.

## Abstract

The project consisted of three major components that dealt with the development of
production system for aromatic rice in rainfed upland area.

The adaptability of four promising varieties such as Jasmine (JM2), Basmati (CL1), Kasturi (CL2), and Vertin (CL41) were tested under organic and conventional farmings in rainfed upland condition. CL 41 and JM2 were found suitable in Aurora and Nueva Ecija with the application of 10 tons/hectare of solid organic fertilizer supplemented with foliar fertilizer composed of fish amino acid, soybean, carabao manure and banana extract. CL 41 had yield of 2.3tons/ha while JM2 had 2.5 tons/ha. Under conventional system, CL-2 had yield of 2.7 t/ha in Nueva Ecija while JM2 had yield of 3.4 t/ha in Maria Aurora.

Organic fertilizer management and organic-based system were established with yields of
3.89 and 3.66 t/ha, respectively during wet season, and net returns of P40,657 and P35,494 per hectare, respectively.

The response of selected aromatic varieties to rainfed upland environment and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology were examined. AWD irrigation technology did not have
significant effect on the yield of aromatic rice.

Promising cropping patterns for rice under conventional and organic systems were
identified such as rice-eggplant, rice-onion- green-corn; rice-soybean- green corn; and rice-
peanut-green corn.

Jasmine (JM2) and Vertin (CL41) production were profitable as they are socially
acceptable, technically feasible and financially viable. The problems, gap and constraints in
rainfed upland areas for both organic and conventional systems are variability in yield and high cost of production. The developed technologies and identified profitable cropping systems must be promoted in order to enhance productivity in these areas.

**Keywords**: Aromatic rice, rainfed, upland, organic, conventional farming