Matatagpuan sa dagat ang sekreto para mapalaki ang produksyon ng bigas, ibinunyag ng Department of Science and Technology.

“Carrageenan, when subjected to irradiation, has recently been found to increase rice yield by more than 65%,” pakilala ni Sec. Mario Montejo.

Binanggit ni Montejo na batay sa resulta ng field trial sa Bulacan ng grupo ni Dr. Gil L. Magsino ng National Crop Protection Center ng University of the Philippine-Los Baños, natuklasang humaba ang tangkay ng palay at bumigat ang bunga nito nang gamitan ng pataba na pinaghalong carrageenan at commercial fertilizer.

“Carrageenan is an indigestible polysaccharide (carbohydrate) extracted from edible seaweeds. When polysaccharide is degraded into a nanoparticle size through irradiation, it can be an effective growth promoter and inducer of resistance against rice’s major pests. At a very small dose, carrageenan is an effective organic fertilizer,” banggit sa pag-aaral.

Karina Bautista, PH navy reservist na

Ang proyekto ay pinondohan ng Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development ng DoST. (Mac Cabreros)