The Philippines
September 25, 2025
Farmers and seed growers are now guaranteed to receive genetically pure and true-to-type inbred rice seeds as a result of the DNA-profiling technology of the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
A key project under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, the Genetic Resources Division of PhilRice has now successfully profiled the DNA of 214 varieties to be distributed nationwide. This is part of the government’s effort to help boost farmers’ yield and lessen dependency on rice importation.
Rice experts assert that using pure seeds can increase yield by 10-15%. This is because pure seeds have a higher germination rate and produce crops that are more resilient to common pests and diseases, and mature uniformly, leading to a more robust harvest.
Dr. Jonathan M. Niones, Scientist I, pointed out that each rice variety has a unique DNA fingerprint or genetic sequence that helps researchers distinguish between varieties with nearly identical physical traits, thus avoiding costly misidentification and accidental mixing.
“If the farmers requested a variety that is suitable for their area but another unfit variety was mixed, their yield would suffer,” Niones explained.
Rice varieties had always been characterized and identified based on their agro-morphological features, which include physical traits such as plant height and grain shape. By adding DNA profiles to these descriptors, researchers can now recognize varieties with much greater precision.
The project also supports the development of new rice varieties by giving researchers and rice breeders more accurate genetic data, including traits that need improvement. For seed growers, it ensures higher purity in the seeds they multiply and distribute.
DNA profiling begins with extracting genetic material from a leaf of a 21-day-old rice seedling. The samples are then analyzed using Short Tandem Repeat (STR) and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) molecular platforms. STR provides a cost-effective, accurate assessment, while the 7,000 SNP markers enable deeper genetic analysis for comprehensive variety characterization.
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