Survey and Collection. Survey and collection will be initiated through the germplasm collection activity of the SEARCA-funded PGR project. This will be done in upland communities of Ilocos Norte, namely: Pagudpud, Bangui, Vintar, Dumalned, Carasi, Adams, Nueva Era, Pasuquin, Solsolna, Dingras and Currimao. However, further collection will be a continuing activity, to be "hitched" with other collection activities in the directorate. The collected materials will be identified by the farmers using vernacular names. Morphological features of each accession will also be documented in situ.

Agro-morphological Characterization. The characterization set up will be established in an upland experimental farm of MMSU following a combination of recommended and farmers production technologies. Each accession will be planted per plot or row, the size of which depends on the quantity of available planting materials. Germplasm materials will be characterized adopting the Descriptors for Wild and Cultivated Rice (Oryza spp.) (Biodiversity Intl., IRRI and WARDA, 2007). Descriptors will be scored at three stages of the crop, i.e. vegetative, reproductive and harvest/postharvest. Data will be analyzed for phenotypic diversity using the standardized Shannon Weaver's Diversity Index with values ranging from 0 to 1 (0 as invariant, and 1 as maximum diversity). 

Photodocumentation. Photodocumentation of the collection will be done to aid in the taxonomic identification and characterization.

Seedlot Purification. From the characterization set up, purification of the collection will also be done by removing off-types and mechanical mixtures. Even if rice is a self-pollinating crop, removal of the border lines and bulking of seedstock from inner rows will be employed in order to eliminate possible contamination by foreign pollens. This is because even if selfed-reproducing, there is a possibility for cross pollination (although it is very minimal). Extra care will be employed in the handling of seeds to ensure genetic purity and high quality of the seeds. Seedlots will be stored at the seed unit for further purification, mass production and use in other studies.

Ex situ Conservation. Seed collections will be mass produced and renewed/regenerated at the MMSU experimental farm. Purity and viability (germination) testing will be undertaken.

Activities on germplasm collection, agro-morphological characterization and photo-documentation have been completed. Activities on seedlot purification, regeneration and ex situ conservation are continuing.

Conserved germplasm

• pictures of different accessions/varieties
• viability and purity data
• viability record