Philippine-developed rice variety Mabango 3, which won silver at the 2025 World’s Best Rice Awards in Cambodia, has also shown promising performance under oxygen-deprived conditions that can affect rice during the early stages of direct seeding.

The variety, officially known as NSIC Rc 218 SR and marketed as Dinorado, was recently featured by Iskolar ng Bayan for its international recognition.

Developed by the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), Mabango 3 earned silver at the 2025 World’s Best Rice Awards held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from November 7 to 9.

The competition featured 30 entries from countries including Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Australia, and the Philippines. Mabango 3 was recognized for its soft texture, aroma, and grain qualities, finishing behind Vietnam’s ST25 and Cambodia’s Phka Rumdoul, which shared the top award. DA-PhilRice confirmed the recognition in November 2025.

Beyond its grain quality, Mabango 3 also performed strongly in research examining how rice varieties respond to low-oxygen conditions during germination.

A study published in the February 2026 issue of the Philippine Journal of Science evaluated elite rice lines and released varieties for anaerobic germination tolerance, a trait considered important in direct-seeded rice systems where heavy rainfall or flooding can affect newly planted seeds.

Researchers from PhilRice and Central Luzon State University evaluated 56 elite lines and 38 released varieties. They measured germination, seedling length and seedling vigor under anaerobic conditions and also tested the rice materials using molecular markers associated with the AG1 allele.

Mabango 3 was among the materials that showed superior to comparable performance with the study’s tolerant check based on germination, seedling length and seedling vigor. The study also found that NSIC Rc 218 was positive for four of the molecular markers used to detect the AG1 allele.

Another variety, NSIC Rc 638, recorded an 87-percent germination rate under anaerobic stress and was classified in the study as having a tolerant response. Breeding line PR52390ILR-2-1-3-B also showed strong performance.

Direct seeding involves planting rice seeds directly in the field instead of transplanting seedlings. According to the Department of Agriculture, the method can reduce labor, planting time and water use, but heavy rain and flooding during crop establishment can deprive germinating seeds of oxygen.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said developing varieties capable of performing under actual field conditions is important to efforts to strengthen rice production and climate resilience.

“We are lucky our scientists developed Mabango3, it is a gift that continues to give,” Tiu Laurel said in a Department of Agriculture statement in February.

Mabango 3 was bred by a PhilRice team led by Thelma F. Padolina and Emily C. Arocena and was approved by the National Seed Industry Council in 2009. PhilRice records show that the variety has a maximum yield of eight tons per hectare and matures in about 120 days.

The Philippine Journal of Science study said rice varieties and elite lines with anaerobic germination tolerance can serve as materials for developing and deploying varieties suited to direct-seeded production systems.

‍