Thirty-four farmers in two towns of Ilocos Norte have opened their irrigated farms to the commercial planting of YieldGard, a genetically-modified corn that carries a gene from a common soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

Surprisingly, there was no resistance from the farmers of Dingras and Vintar, as observed by Romeo Abrina, a senior researcher from the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte.  MMSU conducted the field trials for Bt corn late last year.

Bt gene produces a protein throughout the plant that is toxic to the Asiatic corn borer, the most devastating corn pest.  The commercial name YieldGard is licensed under Monsanto Philippines.

Farmers who used Bt corn swore that not one kernel was eaten by corn borers.  This resulted to less need for pesticides and greater savings.  Farmers also observed that the Bt corn yielded 2 to 3 more for every hectare than the ordinary hybrid and less need for fertilizers.

Thus resulting to bigger profit despite the higher price of Bt corn.  A bag is (18 kilograms) of YieldGard, which is good enough for one hectare, costs more than P4,000 compared with regular hybrid corn price of P2,300 a bag.

As a result of that first Bt corn crop, the farmers in the town of Dingras vowed to expand the area for the crop to 300 hectares next season.

However, those in the town of Vintar were a bit more uncertain although they were also impressed with the result of the field trials and absence of corn borers.  A farmer, Sergio Villanueva, said that he was able to realize only break-even profit because his irrigation supply was cut off. He observed that water is a prime necessity for Bt corn, which many corn farmers don't have.