“Ang kagandahan sa [open pollinated variety] (OPV) pwede mo siyang itanim nang kahit ilang beses. Hindi gaya sa hybrid, ‘yong kanyang F1 seeds minsan mo lang sya itanim hindi na pwede kapag 2nd generation (F2). Pwedeng itanim [ang F2] pero you will not expect na ‘yong yield mo doon sa unang tinanim mo na F1 ay ganun din ang magiging yield due to inbreeding depression,” said corn breeding and corn seed production expert Roynic Y. Aquino of DA-Cagayan Valley Research Center during the DA-BAR in-house seminar on 16 March 2023 held via Cisco Webex and Facebook Live.
From its name, OPV are pollinated through natural mechanisms (eg. insects, birds, wind, and humans). Its seeds will remain true-to-type year after year provided that it is not mixed with other varieties or cross pollinated from other varieties to avoid contamination. Crops from OPV are genetically diverse, giving varied appearances unlike the highly uniform ones produced from hybrid seeds.
“OPV can be thought of as an extended family with all members having similar related characteristics, yet there will still be some extremes within the family,” Aquino said.
He added that improved OPVs are available in the market. These are developed to be drought tolerant, disease resistant, and well adapted to the areas for which it is recommended.
The cost of OPV seed is significantly cheaper than that of its hybrid counterpart. Its seeds can be recycled with minimal loss in yield, unlike the recycled hybrid seed which suffers as much as 30% loss in yield. Certified OPV seeds can be planted again for a maximum of three years without significant yield loss.
Aquino also enumerated disadvantages of growing OPV such as its yield potential is typically 10-25% lower than that of hybrid seeds. He, however, noted that this often depends on the management and production environment of the farm. If the farm is situated in an area with high yield potential and has access to fertilizer and pesticides, then growing OPV will reduce their profit margin.
The lack of uniformity in its appearance and maturity might also lead to less aesthetically pleasing harvests which could potentially impact its price, as well as difficulties in carrying out certain operations such as harvesting.
Aquino also explained the three stages in OPV seed production, as well as tips on selecting planting materials of OPV corn. He also discussed the various food products, especially the Café Bagga, developed from OPV white and pigmented corn under the Mangi Maxi trademark.
Café Bagga is a traditional breakfast drink in the region made from pan roasted purple and glutinous corn grits. The Sta. Maria Green Ladies Organization were among the beneficiaries trained to produce and commercialize the said product. At present, this drink is locally marketed in the region and is sold for PhP 75 per 250-gram pouch.
This month’s seminar also aims to highlight the accomplishments of women in the agriculture and fisheries research for development sector in celebration of the National Women’s Month.