The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Faeger Co., Ltd., and Yanmar, with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), opened the new high-tech Gas Chromatography Laboratory at the Central Experiment Station in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on 16 April 2026.

According to PhilRice, the new Gas Chromatography Laboratory measures greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide emissions, and carbon dioxide emissions that are discharged by rice fields from various types of farming such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD).

The said laboratory was established to ensure environmental protection, providing recommendations to lessen the methane, nitrous oxide emissions, and carbon dioxide emissions from rice fields.

The data generated by the laboratory can help with programs that are related to carbon credits and other climate-smart incentives. Thru the laboratory data, farmers can efficiently control the water while maintaining or increasing their harvest.

A Gas Chromatography Laboratory specializes in separating, identifying, and quantifying volatile organic compounds and gases within complex mixtures.

Utilizing a mobile phase (inert gas) and a stationary phase (column), GC separates components for detection via methods like Flame Ionization (FID) or Mass Spectrometry (MS). Key applications include pharmaceutical purity, environmental testing, forensics, and petrochemical analysis.

The Gas Chromatography Laboratory for farming is an analytical facility used to measure volatile compounds, greenhouse gases (GHGs), and pesticide residues to optimize crop management and environmental safety.

Other uses for the laboratory is for greenhouse gases monitoring wherein the lab measures emissions from rice fields to advance low-carbon, sustainable farming methods. It is also used for pesticide residue analysis, utilizing SGS Philippines GC-MS/ MS systems to detect chemical traces on crops.

The laboratory also checks produce quality by determining ripeness levels in fruits and vegetables by measuring ethylene release.