Influence of Fertilizer Treatments on the Milling Potentials and Total Phenolic Content of Aromatic Rice

The study aimed to determine the influence of different fertilizer treatments on the milling potentials (brown rice, milled rice, and head rice recovery) and total phenolic content of aromatic rice. The two-year field experiment laid out in Split Plot Design with three replications was carried out in irrigated lowland rice soil in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. The fertilizer treatment served as the main plot while the variety served as the sub-plot. The different fertilizer treatments were: Control or no fertilizer, rice straw, chicken manure, LCC-based 1, and LCC-based 2; while the two aromatic rice varieties were: modern aromatic Burdagol-Laguna Type and traditional pigmented aromatic Gal-ong rice. Results showed that the brown rice recovery of Burdagol-Laguna Type was improved with the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Also, the milled rice recovery of Burdagol-Laguna Type was higher during dry season than wet season. On the other hand, Gal-ong produced high brown rice and milled rice recoveries from the application of organic fertilizers (rice straw and chicken manure) and Control, which indicates that the traditional variety can be organically grown, which would be more profitable for farmers. Gal-ong also had higher head rice recoveries and total phenolic contents than Burdagol-Laguna Type regardless of fertilizer treatment and season. The higher the total phenolic content in rice, the better since this compound may provide antioxidant and radical scavenging activity