BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A TEAM from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has discovered what caused trial crops to die in a test area at Pangkalan Mau, Tutong, a finding that may offer solutions for other rice production areas in the country.

While some would consider it a setback, the Philippine officials took a positive stance on the experience gained.

“We have a better understanding of these areas and there are similar areas in Brunei which we suspect to (have the same characteristics),” PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A Beronio told The Brunei Times yesterday.

“Because of the knowledge that we have gained from this experience in Pangkalan Mau, it may not take long for the government to make the new expansion areas become more productive,” he said.

“(The Brunei) government has announced that they are expanding areas to develop self-sufficiency (in rice) 5,000-6,000 hectares. They’ve begun developing about 1,000 of the 6,000 hectares and the two hectares in Pangkalan Mau are part of that area,” he explained.

The test area is part of the Brunei Darussalam-Philippine Rice Technical Cooperation project, in which PhilRice has committed to help Brunei’s farmers improve rice quality and grain yield, while using fertiliser and water efficiently.

Beronio said that the visit was prompted by a report from the Philippines Embassy in Brunei.

“We set up a two-hectare experimental area there last month and we were advised by our embassy that some of the crops had died,” said Beronio. “So we are here to investigate and understand why some of the crops died,” he said.

“We visited the site on Tuesday. Although our people have been here and reporting to us the problem, we wanted to confirm our suspicions that the cause of some of the death of plants are due to soil and water deficiencies,” said Beronio.

Joining Beronio in the investigation at Pangkalan Mau were fellow PhilRice officials Dr Cezar P Mamaril, senior consultant in soils and agronomy, and Dr Eulito Bautista, deputy executive director for research.

According to the specialists, the test area is “low level relative to the sea”. As such, during high tide the sea mixes with the fresh water from the river.

“So you have brackish water coming from the mangroves that sits beneath the soil during high tide and mixes with the irrigation water,” explained Beronio.

The experts also pointed out the removal of top soil by previous projects carried out at the site, which meant the land is exposed to toxic elements, with sulphuric acid being found.

“It’s a deadly cocktail,” said Beronio.

To address the situation, the officials are looking at neutralising the levels of acidity and have changed the source of water being used to irrigate the field.

“We are trying to neutralise as well as correct the nutrients in the soil,” said Dr Mamaril. He added that apart from materials like dolomite, which will change the pH levels, the test field would also be utilising organic fertiliser.

Dr Mamaril explained that adding a source of organic fertiliser, “like chicken manure, would help in sequestering some of the toxic elements”, and provide nutrients for the crops.

Beronio highlighted that the source of irrigation water has been changed “from a pan, which has salty water, to fresh (water) rivers nearby”.

“The problems that were in Wasan are the same at Pangkalan Mau, but they have been solved. Wasan now is very productive because of proper management,” he said, adding that the various expansion areas might prove to be challenging at first but can be turned or made productive immediately. The Brunei Times

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