LAGUNA, Philippines (13 May 2025) — IRRI emphasizes prevention and suppression at the recent International Technology Cooperation Center of the Rural Development Administration – Korea (ITCC- RDA) and IRRI training on Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The 5-day training course aimed to introduce recent paradigm shifts in rice pest management, update participants on recent advances in management technologies, and assist them in the preparation and implementation of their localized IPM research plans.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a sustainable and effective management approach to controlling pests in agriculture by implementing a combination of scientific techniques and ecological knowledge such as pest biology and behavior. IPM was first introduced in the 1970’s to address the growing negative effects of pesticides in agriculture. “Rice will have to be produced, processed, and marketed in a more sustainable way.”, IRRI Scientist and Country Representative for Cambodia Dr. Nurmi Pangesti said as she explained how climate change is shaping ecosystems involved in global rice production.
The participants were introduced to the One IRRI Rice Breeding Strategy and its role in global rice breeding. Compared to traditional, fragmented breeding efforts, this strategy aims to unify efforts by setting standards and efficient resource management among local and international partners. Basically, this will speed up the breeding process of nutritious and market-preferred rice varieties which are also climate-resilient. This crop breeding strategy can also be replicated in similar crops. Dr. Jauhar Ali, Principal Scientist and Hybrid Rice Breeder at IRRI, served as one of the lead instructors. “How do we produce more from less? This is the challenge we face,” he said. “We need to increase production while reducing inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.” Dr. Ali emphasized the potential of hybrid rice to improve resource use efficiency and equip researchers to address global food security challenges more sustainably. Hybrid rice is a type of rice which is produced from two genetically different parents which commonly result in higher yielding varieties.
Facilitated by IRRI Education in collaboration with the Rice Breeding Innovation Department, the training was designed to provide an in-depth, hands-on experience. The first month focused on hybrid rice breeding, including floral biology, hybridization techniques, and field visits. Sessions on seed production practices such as transplanting of A, B, and R lines, GA₃ application, and pollination methods, followed this. From October to December 2024, the researchers concentrated on hybrid rice cultivation and were exposed to performance trials, socio-economic impacts, and improved cultivation strategies.
