State researchers are developing adlai, which has anti-tumor and other medical properties, as the country’s alternative food crop, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) announced on Monday, June 7.
"Researchers are developing new and improved varieties of food crops such as adlai, which may serve as an alternative to its better-known cousin crops, such as rice and corn,” it said in a Facebook post.
It said through mutation breeding, the PNRI continued improving varieties of adlai to become better alternative staple food crop.
“Considering adlai’s many beneficial characteristics, PNI researchers are using radiation technology to develop a new variety that can produce higher yield at a shorter plant height, making it easier to cultivate and harvest.”
The PNRI cited that adlai, also known as Job’s tears, is twice as rich in protein as rice.
“It has anti-tumor and other medicinal properties that can help ease up some allergy symptoms and diabetis complications,”it said.
“Moreover, adlai as a plant is also known for its resilience against extreme weather conditions,” it added.