IRRI’s long-term experiment marks world record of cropping seasons

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines (9 June 2025) – The Long-Term Continuous Cropping Experiment (LTCCE) at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) sets the global record of cropping seasons with the planting of its 183rd crop in April.

With this, the LTCCE surpassed the world-renowned Broadbalk experiment at Rothamsted in the United Kingdom (est. 1843) in terms of cropping seasons — thanks to its unique practice of having three rice crops every year. The crops are set to be harvested from this one-hectare (10,000 square meters) experiment field toward the end of July.

To celebrate this milestone, IRRI unveiled a commemorative marker as part of the IRRI 65th anniversary celebrations on 9 June 2025.

“Long-term experiments such as the LTCCE are essential to ensuring the sustainability of rice production systems. They showcase trends and even archival data that are incomparable with short-term studies. Continuous adjustments to rice variety, nutrient, and even other agricultural practices enhance the LTCCE’s relevance to the sustainability of food production systems and the broader environmental challenges facing agriculture,” said Dr. Kazuki Saito, IRRI Senior Scientist II for Cropping Systems Agronomy/Climate Change.

Started in May 1962, the LTCCE played a pivotal role in deepening our understanding of how rice production systems can remain sustainable amid the changing climate. It has generated invaluable data and insights that guide and inform sustainable agricultural practices globally.

In 2010, the National Historical Institute of the Philippines designated IRRI as a National Historic Site for its transformative role in initiating the Green Revolution in Asia, improving rice production in the Philippines, and serving as a major global center of scientific research on rice.

“The LTCCE is a testament to IRRI’s pioneering legacy in rice science. It is a treasure trove of data as it does not…