Cool elevated

NSIC Rc 566 (Cordillera 4) Rice Variety: Yield, Maturity and Characteristics

NSIC Rc 566 is an inbred rice variety for cool, elevated areas, known locally as Cordillera 4. The NSIC approved it in 2019. It matures in about 145 days and averages 2.5 tonnes per hectare, with a top yield of 4 tonnes in trials.

5 min read Updated October 17, 2026 By the anee.io agriculture team Read it all with Libre + Anee
Rice terraces in the cool highlands, where NSIC Rc 566 is meant to grow

The average and top yields in tonnes per hectare come from the trials each variety went through to be registered with the NSIC, and from what the seed companies say about their own seed.

What farmers harvest today can be different. Newer harvest records, the season, the place, the soil, the water and the care all move these numbers over time.

So use them to compare varieties, not as a promise for your field. Ask your seller or your agriculturist how the variety did on farms near you in the last few seasons.

If you came here looking for rice variety 566, or Rc 566, this is the one. Compare it with the other varieties in our rice variety finder before you buy seed. Also read our guide to rice varieties in the Philippines for how inbreds, hybrids and special rice differ.

  • Maturity: about 145 days after sowing.
  • Yield: 2.5 tonnes per hectare on average, or about 50 cavans of 50 kilograms. The best trial reached 4 tonnes.
  • Watch out for: bacterial leaf blight, tungro, sheath blight, green leafhopper, brown planthopper.
  • Cooked rice: low amylose, so soft and tender.

Key facts about NSIC Rc 566

Key facts of NSIC Rc 566 (t/ha means tonnes per hectare)
TraitValue
Year approved2019
Local nameCordillera 4
TypeInbred
Growing environmentCool elevated
Maturity145 days after sowing
Average yield2.5 t/ha
Top yield in trials4 t/ha
Plant height84 cm

How much does NSIC Rc 566 yield?

On average it gives 2.5 tonnes per hectare. That is about 50 cavans of 50 kilograms of palay. It sits below the average of the 10 cool, elevated areas inbreds on the list, which is 3.8 tonnes. But the top yield, 4 tonnes, came from a trial with good water, seed and care. So plan your costs on the average, then work toward the top with the habits in our guide to raising rice yield per hectare.

How many days does it take to mature?

It takes about 145 days from sowing to harvest. Varieties of 100 to 120 days count as short duration and 120 to 140 days as medium, so this one counts as long duration. Then harvest when 85 to 90 percent of the grains turn golden yellow. Because the day count drives every task, anee.io counts it for you from each lot's own planting day, with the growth stages and weather beside it.

Is it resistant to pests and diseases?

Reactions in trials: R resistant, MR moderately resistant, I intermediate, MS moderately susceptible, S susceptible. Some carry a second rating in brackets.
Pest or diseaseRatingWhat it means
Rice blastIntermediateTook a middling share of damage
Bacterial leaf blightSusceptibleTook heavy damage
TungroSusceptibleTook heavy damage
Sheath blightSusceptibleTook heavy damage
Green leafhopperModerately susceptibleTook clear damage
Brown planthopperModerately susceptibleTook clear damage
Stem borerIntermediateTook a middling share of damage

So scout early for bacterial leaf blight, tungro, sheath blight, green leafhopper, brown planthopper. When you see the first signs, check the guide before you spray, because the right timing saves more than an extra dose. If you are not sure what you see, our pest and disease finders help you name it from the damage.

Grain and eating quality

Grain quality of NSIC Rc 566
MeasureValueClass
Amylose15.4 percentLow
Milling recovery73 percentPremium
Head rice64 percentPremium
Chalky grains4 percentGrade 1
Grain length4.9 mmShort
Grain shape, length to width1.8Bold
Protein6.7 percent

Amylose decides how rice cooks. With low amylose, expect rice that is soft. In fact, Filipino taste has moved from high to intermediate and low amylose rice, because people want it softer. Head rice is the share of whole grains after milling. So a higher number means fewer broken grains and a better price at the mill.

Where should you plant it?

It suits cool, elevated places such as the rice terraces of the Cordillera, where the nights stay cold. So use it where lowland varieties grow too slowly or set too few grains. For the right month in your province, see the best time to plant rice.

Plan your next season of NSIC Rc 566

Set the planting day of each lot and anee.io dates every task to harvest, with the weather beside it. Free on the Libre plan.

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Varieties like this one

These come from the same kind of farm and grow about as long. So if seed of this one is hard to find, compare these first.

  • NSIC Rc 564: 143 days, 3.8 tonnes per hectare on average, 2019
  • PSB Rc 44: 144 days, 4.1 tonnes per hectare on average, 1995
  • NSIC Rc 560: 143 days, 4 tonnes per hectare on average, 2019
  • NSIC Rc 562: 143 days, 4.3 tonnes per hectare on average, 2019
What is the local name of NSIC Rc 566?
It is known as Cordillera 4. Seed sellers and agriculturists use both names, so ask for either one.
How many days does NSIC Rc 566 take to harvest?
About 145 days after sowing. Then harvest when 85 to 90 percent of the grains are golden yellow.
What is the average yield of NSIC Rc 566?
It averages 2.5 tonnes per hectare, about 50 cavans of 50 kilograms. The best trial reached 4 tonnes. Your own yield depends on water, seed, fertilizer and timing.
Is this variety a hybrid?
No, it is an inbred. So the seed you buy grows true, but certified seed still gives the best start.
What should I watch for when I plant it?
In trials it was weak against bacterial leaf blight, tungro, sheath blight, green leafhopper, brown planthopper. So scout from the early weeks and act at the first signs.
Is it soft when cooked?
It has low amylose, 15.4 percent. So it cooks soft.

See how NSIC Rc 566 will do on your farm

With Libre + Anee, see its full record: how it yields, its strengths and weaknesses against pests, diseases and the weather, and whether it fits your farm, your season and your soil.

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