MAFAR FIELD OPERATION STAFF MONITORS HYBRID PALAY PRODUCTION IN DATU ODIN SINSUAT

DATU ODIN SINSUAT | April 24, 2021

Chief Agriculturist Tong Abas and Rice Focal Person Muhaimin Ali led the monitoring activity together with Datu Odin Sinsuat MAFAR Municipal Officer Amboldto with Research Associates Ali Kasim and Al-muid Acon to confirm the reported infestation of rats in the said area.

Most of the palay seeds planted in the said area were provided by MAFAR under the RRP I specifically Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat project.
Based on observation and personal interviews with the farmers in the area, more than 35 hectares of palay production areas planted with different varieties of hybrid seeds in Barangay Sapalan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao were infested by ricefield rats (Rattus argentiventer) from tillering stage to reproductive stage. Rat is one of the major pests of rice that cut or pull up transplanted plant. They also chop down the young seedlings. At booting stage, they feed on rice panicles. On the other hand, during ripening, they feed on developing rice grains.

In addition, it was also observed that there is an infestation of leaf folders (Cnaphalocrosis medinalis), an insect pest that fold a rice leaf around themselves and attach the leaf margins together with silk strands. They also feed inside the folded leaf creating a longitudinal white and transparent streak on the blade. The infestation in the area happens during the reproductive stage wherein photosynthetic activity of the rice plant was greatly affected leading to low productivity of affected rice farmers.

Meanwhile, bacterial leaf streaks also observed incidence of Bacterial leaf streak, which is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola. Infected plants show browning and drying of leaves. Under severe conditions, this could lead to reduced grain weight due to loss of photosynthetic area.