Considering farmers' preferences in evaluation and dissemination of white corn varieties as alternative staple foods

The evaluation of improved open-pollinated white-corn varieties was conducted through the use of participatory approaches in three seasons (WS [wet season] 2011, DS [dry season] 2011-2012, and WS 2012) in selected municipalities of Isabela, Quezon, Bohol, and North Cotabato [Philippines] to assess and understand farmers' preferred varieties. Eleven improved open-pollinated white-corn varieties and farmers' variety, as local check, were assessed on-farm through adaptability trials to test their performance and facilitate adoption. Of the II varieties evaluated by farmers, Bioseed, IPB Var 8, and IES 8910 were highly preferred in the wet season, while Northland, IPB Var 8, and Bioseed were the most desired varieties during the dry season. The traits essential to the farmers included resistance to pests and diseases, plant height, ear size and weight, grain quality, and good root anchorage. In addition to PVS, sensory evaluation was also conducted to solicit farmers' opinion on the eating quality of the different white-corn varieties. Northland and the farmers' local (check) varieties, particularly in Quezon (Takuro) and Bohol (Katorsa), were consistently chosen because of their taste, color, aroma, milling size, and softness. In Isabela, IES 8910, IPB Var 6, and IES 8912 were the three most preferred varieties in terms of eating quality. This process of selecting the most preferred varieties involving farmers hopes to facilitate varietal improvement, adoption, and dissemination. The three highest-yielding varieties after 3 seasons of testing in farmers' fields were Bioseed (4,515 kg/ha), and IPB Var 8 (4,064 kg/ha), with Bioseed also exhibiting stability of performance. For the roll-over scheme, a total of 177 farmers were recipients of free registered seeds in DS 2011-2012 from the wet season production and 418 farmers in WS 2012 from the dry season seed production.