Farmers using direct seeding may need to control weedy rice earlier than usual, after a study found that the weed gains its advantage before cultivated rice reaches its reproductive stage. The Philippine Rice Research Institute ( PhilRice )-led study found that weedy rice can outgrow cultivated rice because it emerges earlier, grows taller, produces more tillers, and develops larger and more highly branched roots. Dr. Leylani M. Juliano , PhilRice lead researcher, said that these traits help weedy rice absorb more water and nutrients from the soil. The weed can also continue using sunlight efficiently to grow even when nutrients are limited, giving it a stronger chance to compete in direct-seeded fields. She said understanding how the weed competes can guide researchers in improving the timing and design of management strategies, especially during the early stages of crop growth. The study showed that weedy rice builds much of its advantage from the seedling stage until be...
US and Philippine officials tour the new Community Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Reporting Center. PUERTO PRINCESA CITY —The US Embassy in the Philippines , through the Fish Right Project , launched the Community Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Reporting Center in partnership with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development. The new facility strengthens Philippine-led efforts to combat IUU fishing —a shared economic and security threat for both the United States and the Philippines. Building on the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development ’s existing coordination mechanisms with local and national agencies, Fish Right will integrate American technologies, such as Starlink and data visualization software EarthRanger , to strengthen connectivity, improve the collection and organization of community reports, and support timely information-sharing with Philippine authorities. The Center will serve as a community hub for receiving a...