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■ Vol. 39 │ ■ No. 2 │ ■ APRIL–JUNE 2011 │ ■ ISSN 0116-3140 the PCARRD The management system governing the production of this publication is ISO 9001:2008 certified. ISO 9001: 2008 Quarterly Newsletter of the PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (PCARRD) Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Healthy Flavors of Science Healthier options are effective marketing strategies today. Higher accounts of obesity, increasing cancer mortality rates, and diabetes proliferation continue to alarm people globally. Hence, people are now starting to be more careful with their food intake. The challenge for producers now is to create innovative healthy products, which can satisfy the consumer’s appetite. However, being healthy does not mean depriving oneself of good food. Thanks to science and technology (S&T), innovative yet healthy products are now available. In the recently concluded International Food Exhibit (IFEX) held at the SMX convention center in the SM Mall of Asia in May 2011, a variety of processed and fresh commodities delighted the public. The event was participated by almost 263 exhibitors from the domestic and international market producers. To showcase products proudly made by its Magsasaka Siyentista (MS), PCARRD also took part in the event. With the theme “Flavors of Science,” the Council featured frozen durian, coconut syrup and sugar, strawberry preserves, pili oil, and mango sauce and catsup. All of which have the tropical allure to capture the keen taste of health-conscious consumers. Guilt-free delights Up for serving, during the food expo, were blends of delightful flavors of science offering healthy alternatives that can satisfy people’s cravings. A sweet fruit with a pungent smell, Durian is probably the continued on page 14 ► NEWS MONITOR • Faylon opens AFNR Program Forum • Phil-Aus project will help save watershed in Southern Philippines • Of fruits and greens: A horticultural R&D joint venture TECHNOLOGY • GIS and IT towards environmental hazards management • Introducing the Philippine rice combine harvester • Computer vision system for milled rice quality analysis • Artificial insemination for goat in Region 2 • Vermicompost and vermitea enhances rice grain yield

■ Vol. 39 │ ■ No. 2 │ ■ APRIL–JUNE 2011 │ ■ ISSN 0116-3140

the PCARRD

The management system governing

the production of this publication

is ISO 9001:2008 certified.

ISO

9001:

2008

Quarterly Newsletter of the PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE,

FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (PCARRD)

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Healthy Flavors of Science

Healthier options are effective

marketing strategies today. Higher

accounts of obesity, increasing

cancer mortality rates, and diabetes

proliferation continue to alarm

people globally. Hence, people are

now starting to be more careful with

their food intake. The challenge

for producers now is to create

innovative healthy products, which

can satisfy the consumer’s appetite.

However, being healthy does

not mean depriving oneself of

good food. Thanks to science and

technology (S&T), innovative yet

healthy products are now available.

In the recently concluded

International Food Exhibit (IFEX)

held at the SMX convention center

in the SM Mall of Asia in May 2011,

a variety of processed and fresh

commodities delighted the public.

The event was participated by almost

263 exhibitors from the domestic

and international market producers.

To showcase products proudly

made by its Magsasaka Siyentista

(MS), PCARRD also took part in

the event. With the theme “Flavors

of Science,” the Council featured

frozen durian, coconut syrup and

sugar, strawberry preserves, pili

oil, and mango sauce and catsup.

All of which have the tropical

allure to capture the keen taste of

health-conscious consumers.

Guilt-free delights

Up for serving, during the food

expo, were blends of delightful flavors

of science offering healthy alternatives

that can satisfy people’s cravings.

A sweet fruit with a pungent

smell, Durian is probably the

continued on page 14 ►

NEWS MONITOR

• Faylon opens AFNR Program

Forum

• Phil-Aus project will help save

watershed in Southern Philippines

• Of fruits and greens: A horticultural

R&D joint venture

TECHNOLOGY

• GIS and IT towards environmental

hazards management

• Introducing the Philippine rice

combine harvester

• Computer vision system for milled

rice quality analysis

• Artificial insemination for goat in

Region 2

• Vermicompost and vermitea

enhances rice grain yield

EDITORIAL

Hope in S&T

Again, S&T takes center stage

in the 2011 celebration of the

National S&T Week (NSTW).

This year’s theme, “Nasa Syensya

ang Pag-asa” once more reminds

us that sustained economic growth

can be achieved with scientific

and technological advancement.

World history bears this

out. Developed countries took

this path beginning with the

industrial revolution in the late

18 th century. Even the socialist

economies flourished from the

gains of S&T development.

Likewise, just before the turn

of the new millennium, some East

Asian countries took the same

path to development, following

the example of neighboring Japan

after the world war. Today, China

is set to be the next world power

boosted by gains in its economy

helped in part by its advanced

S&T sector. India is likewise a

growing economy fuelled by S&T.

Slowly, many of the developing

world are catching on. Many

see the role played by S&T in

building strong economies.

In the Philippines, the first

serious look into the state of S&T

in the country was commissioned by

President Ramon Magsaysay, prior

to his death, after recognizing the

potentials of S&T to development.

However, it was President

Carlos P. Garcia, acting on the

recommendation of the survey, who

established a science development

board to oversee the development

of science in the country in 1958.

In 1982, the board was

transformed into the National S&T

Authority with broader policymaking

and program implementing

functions. It eventually became

the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST) in 1987 in

response to the increasing demands

for S&T-based intervention

in national development.

DOST was mandated

“to provide central direction,

leadership, and coordination of

scientific and technological efforts,

and ensure that the results there

from are geared and utilized in

areas of maximum economic and

social benefits for the people.”

Since its establishment, DOST

has continuously exerted efforts

to promote and utilize S&T as an

engine for national development.

Annually, recent developments

and achievements in domestic

S&T are highlighted in a national

S&T week spearheaded by DOST.

The celebration was instituted by

virtue of Presidential Proclamation

2214 in 1982 and later amended

through Republic Act 169 of

1993 declaring the third week

of every year as the National

Science and Technology Week.

PCARRD, for its part,

contributes its share in the

advancement of S&T in the

agriculture, forestry and natural

resources (AFNR) sectors.

The recently crafted PCARRD

Corporate Plan for 2011–2016

lays out the Council’s goals and

objectives in providing direction in

S&T-led production of competitive

agricultural and forestry products

while keeping in sight the

protection and conservation of

biodiversity and the environment.

PCARRD aims to:

• Effect sustainable food

production by making available

appropriate solutions to intensify

food production to achieve food

sufficiency and poverty reduction;

• Prime up the countryside

through needed livelihood and

improved income opportunities

generated from research and

development (R&D) efforts;

• Sustain environmental

resilience by generating sciencebased

solutions for natural

resource management and

the environment including

climate change adaptation,

biodiversity conservation,

and watershed protection. It

will also support search for

alternative energy sources;

• Advance AFNR interest

through policy R&D; and

• Enhance R&D capability

and governance through a

enabling environment for R&D

systems to prosper through

progressive and participatory

governance mechanism.

If PCARRD achieves these

goals then there is definitely hope

for economic and sustainable

development in the country,

especially in the AFNR sector.

2 April–June 2011

NEWS

MONITOR

Faylon opens AFNR Program Forum

“Understand the root cause of

the problem on agriculture, forestry,

and natural resources (AFNR)

graduates supply and demand.”

PCARRD Executive Director

Patricio S. Faylon emphasized this

need during the National Forum on

the state and future supply of and

demand for AFNR graduates in the

Philippines last May 3, in Makati

City as part of the big umbrella

program, Enhancing the Demand

for AFNR Graduates through S&T.

The forum was hosted by the

Philippine Institute for Development

Studies (PIDS) and attended by

project stakeholders such as DOST,

Commission on Higher Education

(CHED), Department of Labor

and Employment - Bureau of

Local Employment (DOLE-BLE),

Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI), Technical Education and

Skills Development Authority

(TESDA), state universities and

colleges (SUCs), AFNR regional

teams, and national coordinators.

CHED, PIDS, PCARRD, and

the University of the Philippines

conceptualized the policy research

component of the program. In

consultation with Philippine

Association of State Universities

and Colleges (PASUC), they sought

to identify the factors causing

the downtrend in enrolment

in AFNR courses as well as the

factors affecting the supply of and

demand for AFNR graduates.

During the forum, Faylon

recognized the effort of the team in

determining the state and predicting

the future supply of and demand for

AFNR graduates in the country.

For more than a year, the team

reviewed literature, inventoried

human resources, traced graduates,

surveyed employers, analyzed

data, modeled supply and

demand and projected the same.

They conducted policy research

by region and integrated the

results at the national level.

Partners from more than 30

implementing institutions across

14 regions and more than 100

higher education institutions

continued on page 7 ►

The PCARRD Monitor 3

Project partners visit part of the Inabanga watershed in Bohol.

Phil-Aus project will help save

watershed in Southern Philippines

The Philippines and Australia

project, Watershed Evaluation

for Sustainable Use of Sloping

Agricultural Land in Southern

Philippines will help sloping lands in

watershed areas that are vulnerable

to erosion and degradation.

In a project briefing in

PCARRD, Project Leader Dr.

Anthony Ringrose-Voase of

Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization

(CSIRO) said that the project

will help improve the planning of

watershed development activities.

It will be implemented in Cabulig

Watershed in Misamis Oriental

and Inabanga Watershed in Bohol.

These sloping areas are intensively

used and are often impacted

by environmental stresses.

Agriculture activities in the

sloping lands are intensifying because

of the need to produce more food

for the growing population in the

Philippines. According to Voase,

while there may be technological

recommendations to manage the

sloping lands, “there is no point

in introducing interventions in

an area when the interventions

are not suitable. Interventions

may work differently in different

farms,” Hence, it is important to

have decision-making aids such

as spatial data, maps and vital

information that are accurate,

useful, affordable, and accessible

to local and national entities.

The three-year project is

funded by the Australian Centre for

International Agricultural Research

(ACIAR), with CSIRO as the lead

implementing agency in Australia

and the Philippine’s Bureau of

Soils and Water Management

(BSWM). Together with local

partners, the project will develop

a conceptual model of watershed

attributes and processes and

enhance and apply digital methods

for predicting land attributes.

The project takes off from

what other local and international

research institutions have already

done in the project sites. It will

complement existing research

activities in the area and add value

to results of previous projects.

It will produce spatial library

of important watershed attributes

and efficient methods of watershed

characterization that can be used

in other watersheds. Digital soil

mapping, an emerging technology,

will be applied in characterizing the

Cabulig and Inabanga watersheds.

continued on page 5 ►

4 April–June 2011

NEWS

MONITOR

Phil-Aus project... (from page 4)

This technology involves rapid

soil measurement technique

and statistical modeling.

Moreover, the project will assess

suitability of the land for various

uses through improved approaches

and methodologies. Data and

information to be collected and

analyzed will reside in local and

selected national agencies for land

use planning processes and as

sound basis for decision-making.

The Billabong catchment in

New South Wales will be used

as a test-bed for new methods of

watershed characterization and

land suitability assessment that

will be used in the Philippines.

Aside from CSIRO and BSWM,

agencies which will be involved in

the project are: World Agroforestry

Center, Department of Environment

and Natural Resources-Regions

X and VII; Misamis Oriental

State College of Agriculture and

Technology; Landcare Foundation of

the Philippines; Bohol Island State

University; and local governments

of Misamis Oriental and Bohol.

The project evolved from a

consultation workshop organized by

ACIAR Philippines and PCARRD

through its Agricultural Resources

Management Research Division. In

this workshop, participants agreed

to address the issues on watershed

characterization, land suitability

for agricultural development, and

land use planning. CSIRO, as

commissioned by ACIAR, drafted

and refined the proposal after a

series of meetings with partner

agencies and visit to project sites.

An inception and planning

meeting has already been conducted

to lay the ground works for the

project implementation that

will soon start this year.

PCARRD is the designated

authority of the Philippine

government to undertake

coordination, monitoring, and

evaluation of this project and

other ACIAR projects in the

country. (Ofelia F. Domingo)

Of fruits and greens:

A horticultural R&D joint venture

In the southern regions of

the country, fruit and vegetable

farmers constantly encounter many

threats to their livelihood. Thus,

an immediate and a great need for

appropriate S&T interventions to

protect the farmers’ primary income

source and help them counteract

extreme weather changes, pests

and diseases, poor soil and plant

nutrition, and postharvest losses.

In response, the Australian

Centre for International Agricultural

Research (ACIAR) in partnership

with PCARRD is now working on

two programs to find solutions and

address issues that impact on value

chains in Southern Philippines.

These projects are: Improved

Domestic Profitability and Export

Competitiveness of Selected Fruit Value

Chains in Southern Philippines and

Australia and Enhanced Profitability

of Selected Vegetable Value Chains in

Southern Philippines and Australia.

The status of the two programs

became evident at the 3 rd Philippine

Annual Program Review for the

ACIAR-PCARRD Horticulture

Program on Fruits and Vegetables

in Davao City on April 7.

Fruitful program

The fruits program focuses on the

development of supply chains, preand

post-handling pests and diseases,

crop nutrition, and economic and

policy issues on selected fruits such as

mango, durian, jackfruit, and papaya.

Supply chain. The research

team from the University of the

Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)

focused on the ‘Solo’ papaya

domestic supply chain in Tupi,

South Cotabato and its distribution

in different market chains in Metro

Manila and outlying provinces.

Identifying the constraints and

opportunities, partners recommended

improving the supply chain for

the Philippine papaya. Since the

consumers value color and quality

of the fruits, one way to improve the

continued on page 6 ►

The PCARRD Monitor 5

Of fruits and greens... (from page 5)

chain is to enhance product quality.

This can be done through fruit

maturity and regulation of ripening

and control of postharvest diseases

through hot water treatment (HWT).

Pest and diseases. Researchers

from the Department of Agriculture

– Southern Tagalog Integrated

Agricultural Research Center (DA-

STIARC), UPLB, and University of

Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in

Davao City explored the Integrated

Pest Management (IPM) strategy

for the mango pulp weevil. As a

result, they proved that bottle traps

can be used to control the weevil.

The bottle trap effectively caught

about 57% of the weevils. To

ensure adoption of the IPM strategy,

researchers ran IPM workshops

for mango growers and local

government unit (LGU) technicians.

For the IPM of Phytophthora

disease in durian, researchers

collaborated with local farmers in

Davao City, Digos City, Tagum City,

and in Bukidnon. In a participatory

action research, they showed

that the use of organic chicken

dung and vermicast decrease

the occurrence of the disease.

In jackfruit, the control of

Phytophthora disease centered

on improved cultural practice

such as organic manuring. This

practice includes the use of

fermented organic additives

like green silage, chicken dung,

and effective microorganisms.

These results prompted the

conduct of Farmer’s Field Days

(FFDs) where partners shared

IPM strategies and technologies

with the community.

For papaya,

researchers confirmed

the presence of choco

spot (Corynespora

cassiicola), a fungus

disease on the ‘Solo’

papaya variety.

Fungicide for the

control of the disease

will be evaluated

by the Bureau of

Plant Industry –

Davao National

Crop Research and

Development Center

(BPI-DNCRDC).

A bountiful harvest

in the vegetables

program

The vegetable

program focused

on promoting

more profitable

and sustainable

production;

addressing problems such as damage

brought about by pests and diseases,

declining soil fertility; and creation of

collaborative marketing groups linked

to buyers for better net returns.

Soil fertility and management.

Alternative nutrient source inputs

were tested on cabbage, corn, and

tomato in several sites in Ormoc City,

Misamis Oriental, Davao del Sur,

and Bukidnon. These included swine

manure, chicken dung, mudpress

(sugarcane byproducts or leftovers),

and vermicast. Furthermore, crops

were supplemented with selected

nutrients and also deprived through

omission of traditionally over

supplied nutrients like nitrogen.

Protected cropping system.

Vegetable growers in high rainfall

areas of Baybay, Maasin, Bato,

Bontoc, and Ormoc City proved

the value of protective structures

such as coco house, bamboo house

(raised or vent type), and tunnel-type

structures. Ampalaya, tomato, sweet

pepper, lettuce, and watermelon

grown under these structures yielded

higher and had less damage than

those grown in the open field.

These can be attributed to lower

incidence of pests and diseases.

Under open field, the yield

ranged from 2.23 tons/ha to

59.79 tons/ha with 35–40%

incidence of bacterial wilt. In

the protective structures, yield

6 April–June 2011

anged from 10.47 tons/ha to

100.02 tons/ha and occurrence of

bacterial wilt was at 20–25%.

Management of bacterial wilt.

The bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum

causes wilt in solanaceous plants.

Management of this disease,

especially in potato, is challenging.

Effective management hinges on the

knowledge of its genetic diversity.

Researchers first assessed the

genetic diversity of the bacterial

isolates collected from the project

sites and compared them to isolates

collected in other parts of the

country. They then used the isolates

to evaluate the susceptibility of 18

potato varieties and 4 NOMIARC

or Northern Mindanao Integrated

Agricultural Research

Center lines.

Based on the

evaluation done in

Miarayon, Talakag, the

five best performers

for seed production

were Igorota, Raja,

Astra, Columbus, and

Kennebec. In addition,

NOM PO A, Kennebec,

Granola, NOM PO D,

and Atlantic showed

potential resistance

against bacterial

wilt in Imbayao,

Malaybalay City.

Aside from

planting less susceptible

varieties, other effective

management measures

for bacterial wilt

included bio-fumigation

and crop rotation.

Value chain for

high value vegetables.

The key buyers of high value

vegetables are hotels, resorts,

restaurants, and supermarkets.

Aside from determining this,

researchers compared the farm

gate prices and net margins of

traditional and institutional value

chains in southern Mindanao.

Project partners also enhanced

capability of smallhold farmers

while providing assistance.

Aiming for more

The fruit and vegetable program

will remain focused on solving

problems in crop management

specifically IPM, postharvest

handling, soil and nutrition issues,

and policy constraints. Researchers

and collaborators will continue to

refine technologies, intensify capacity

building, and assist in conducting

field days and developing and

packaging of relevant publications.

With its completion in 2012,

the program aims to leave a lasting

legacy to farmers, entrepreneurs,

policy makers, and the general

public. However, completion of

this program in the coming year

will not signal the end of the inflow

of technologies, innovations, and

knowledge to the people. With a

productive partnership between

ACIAR and PCARRD, the vegetable

and fruit growers stand to gain

more. (Renelle Comia-Yebron)

Faylon opens... (from page 3)

(HEIs) attended the forum. Here

they took stock of project results

and findings that could guide

their plans and activities for other

components of the program.

The national program supported

a wide range of interventions

to help and improve the quality

of AFNR degree offerings and

thus, to increase enrolment.

Notably, the program promotes

S&T-based entrepreneurship

development in SUCs. This will

balance the training of AFNR

students and provide them

with viable alternatives to wage

employment upon graduation.

With the program nearing its

completion, Faylon challenged all

present to use the findings of the

project to address the problem of

unemployment, especially of AFNR

graduates. (Pia Paula P. Mateo)

The PCARRD Monitor 7

TECHNOLOGY

GIS and IT towards

environmental hazards management

The formidable effects of climate

change are undeniably causing havoc

today. Even in the Philippines,

erratic weather conditions

continue to trigger flooding, soil

erosion, forest fires, and other

detrimental environment hazards.

In the country, forest fires

remain as an environmental hazard.

Foresters, local government units

(LGUs), upland community

leaders, and upland stakeholders

decry the lack of a clear preventive

scheme to predict where and when

probable forest fires will occur.

Without a reliable fire hazard

system, foresters and firefighters

rely on inefficient “guesswork” to

determine the direction of fire spread

and intensity. Meanwhile, creating

a scheme to assess land capability

is also vital to prevent further soil

erosion. But such schemes will be

futile if they are not available to the

public in the easiest possible way.

To address these problems,

PCARRD funded the program

Intelligent Decision Support System for

Environmental Hazards Management

using Geographic Information System

(GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS).

The program is composed of three

projects: (1) Forest fire hazards

assessment and risk reduction using

geographic information system;

(2) Development of a watershed

and capability evaluator; and

(3) Development of a web-enabled

environmental geo-information

database for hazards management.

Project 1: GIS for forest

fire hazard assessment

Researchers developed fire

hazard maps for Carranglan, Nueva

Ecija and Itogon, Benguet to guide

forest managers in monitoring and

protecting forest areas during fire

season. These models were based

on local data, specifically effects of

vegetation, proximity to farms and

roads, slope, and other aspects.

The University of the Philippines

Los Baños (UPLB) researchers Dr.

Enrique L. Tolentino, Dr. Arturo

SA. Castillo, and Dr. Leonardo

M. Florece aimed to use GIS to

develop a forecasting and risk

reduction system based on projected

forest fire behavior and hazards.

The forest fire predictor

model takes the guesswork out of

forecasting and enables foresters and

firefighters to accurately forecast fire

behavior to make detailed hazard

assessments. With accurate forecasts,

damage to resources can be avoided,

policy makers can be guided,

and people can be forewarned.

To reduce fire hazard in forest

areas, Tolentino and company

also recommend the practice of

controlled burning or prescribed

fire. However, they caution that the

burning should be done only until

the fuel from the grasses can no

longer support a detrimental fire.

Project 2: Land capability

assessment through GIS

The research team led by Dr. Rex

Victor O. Cruz aimed to develop a

tool for assessing land capability in

a watershed. By using an erosionbased

land classification scheme, they

determined the probable uses for

the land that would reduce risk of

erosion, as well as protect watersheds.

To develop the tool, researchers

used GIS to estimate soil erosion

potential (SEP) and soil erosion

index (SEI) of selected areas.

They developed hazard maps for

landslides induced by floods and

rain and for droughts. They then

factored in the impact of climate

change to determine the risk

level of selected land zones. Thus,

land areas which are prone to soil

erosion can easily be determined.

The land capability evaluator

will enhance current land use

planning methods and aid policy

makers and LGUs to create and

implement appropriate policies.

The land capability evaluator

was tested in the Pantabangan-

Carranglan and Itogon Watersheds.

Project 3: Geo-information

database for hazards management

Dr. Nathaniel C. Bantayan

of CFNR, aimed to make the

technologies developed for fire and

continued on page 9 ►

8 April–June 2011

GIS and IT... (from page 8)

land capability evaluation accessible

through the Internet using GIS.

In this project, the information

and geographic data from fire and

land capability evaluation models

were uploaded in the Internet

through a web-enabled geodatabase

system. The developed

web application was called Hazards

Decision Support System.

The site was built with a userfriendly

interface that allows panning

of the generated maps for better

viewing. Likewise, the interface

was enhanced with various menudriven

controls to guide users.

Through this web application, more

stakeholders and decision-makers

can access the information generated

from the environmental hazards

model. This will make it easier to

determine the areas’ land capability

as well as their risk to fire ignition.

Technology towards environmental

hazards management

Perhaps known environmentalist,

Al Gore, said it best when he argued

that “there is no way for us to stop

climate change now; the only thing

that we can do is to slow down the

process.” These outputs developed

in the program are part of the

Council’s contribution to slowing

down “the process” – in forms that

can immediately be used and provide

early gains. (Edgilyn R. Alcasid)

MS Calilung (second from left) showing his harvests during the STBF field day.

Vermicompost and vermitea

enhances rice grain yield

Vermicompost and vermitea

provide alternative means to

manage and sustain soil fertility to

meet the nutrient requirements of

rice. These results to better quality

produce, increased productivity,

and more income for farmers.

However, the big challenge

for organic agriculture advocates

is encouraging farmers who prefer

quick-results inorganic fertilizers to

adopt organic farming technologies.

Furthermore, farmers are slow to

adopt technologies, which they

have less knowledge of.

Bernardo G. Calilung,

a Magsasaka Siyentista (MS)

of Tarlac City, proved the

effectiveness of vermicompost

and vermitea in attaining and

maintaining productivity and

quality of rice seed production.

Vermicompost is organic

manure produced from worm

castings. This biofertilizer is full of

beneficial microbes or nutrients.

continued on page 10 ►

The PCARRD Monitor 9

Vermicompost and vermitea.. (from page 9)

Vermitea, on the other hand, is the

liquid extract prepared from worm

castings. It has some fungicidal

and pesticidal properties.

Best management practices

MS Calilung proved that the

application of the right amount of

vermicompost and vermitea result

in significant improvement of

organic-based rice seed production.

For his science and technologybased

farm (STBF), he incorporated

25 bags of vermicompost in the soil

during final harrowing in addition

to one bag of urea and one bag of

muriate of potash basally applied

and top dressed five to seven

days before panicle initiation.

Furthermore, he diluted 4 L

of vermitea with 16 L of water

and sprayed 16 L of this mixture

to his 0.5-ha farm per application

from transplanting to panicle

initiation at 2-weeks interval. The

vermitea was applied early in the

morning before 9 am and late

in the afternoon after 4 pm.

Bountiful harvest

The STBF study implemented

from November 2009 to September

2010 demonstrated the success

of S&T intervention in terms

of the high yield in production

and increased income.

With heavier and more

filled grains produced from the

STBF organic-based rice, yield

increased by 28.59% from 48.76

cavans to 62.7 cavans for a 0.5-

ha farm. Partial budget analysis

showed that the vermicompost

and vermitea generated a net

financial impact of P20,470.

MS Calilung’s STBF study

was conducted with the support

of the technical staff of the Tarlac

College of Agriculture (TCA)

and the financial support from

PCARRD. (Lilia G. Bayabos)

Artificial insemination

for goat in Region 2

Artificial insemination (AI) is still

one of the best technologies being

used today in genetic improvement

for all types of livestock. Technically,

AI is a breeding technique in which

semen is obtained from the male

and introduced into the female

reproductive tract by means of

instruments. Thus, breeding can be

done throughout the year through

synchronized or out-of-season

breeding and semen from quality

breeders can be stored for future use.

In the Philippines, AI is widely

used for swine and cattle breeding

activities. For small ruminants it is

not well adopted due to some gaps

between the AI technologies for

goats and the process of delivering

the technology to raisers.

PCARRD funded a project

implemented by the Cagayan

Valley Small Ruminants Research

Center-Isabela State University

(CVSRRC-ISU) to showcase and

promote AI technology for goat in

Region 2. It also aims to improve

semen-processing procedures and

the AI delivery systems in the

region including the development

of a semen extender formulation

ready for the market. The overall

goal of the project is to improve the

farmers’ stocks in the rural areas.

With the objective to improve

semen processing, ISU AI

Laboratory developed a semen

extender formulation using soy

bean lecithin in lieu of eggyolk.

Studies in other countries revealed

that eggyolk protein contains an

enzyme, phospholipase A, which

not only reduces sperm motility and

sperm viability but also increases the

incidence of acrosomal damage. In

addition, eggyolk presents potential

risks for microbial contamination

and production of endotoxins

which, in turn, affect the fertilizing

capacity of spermatozoa.

The inclusion of soybean protein

in the extender formulation improved

the post-thaw semen motility of

continued on page 16 ►

10 April–June 2011

Computer vision system

for milled rice quality analysis

Standardization is a strategy

to improve efficiency and global

competitiveness of the grain

industry. Under the national

standards on grains, milled

rice is classified based on its

size, degree of milling, and

amount of broken and other

defective grains in the sample.

The current practice of

classifying grains is by visual

inspection and manual separation

of each grain according to its

quality category and the result

is calculated on a percentage

weight basis. This type of analysis

is subjective and depends on

the skill of the classifier and

the working conditions.

To provide an objective,

accurate, and quick method of

analyzing milled rice, a group of

researchers led by Dr. Manolito C.

Bulaong of the Philippine Center

for Postharvest Development and

Mechanization (PhilMech) developed

the low-cost computer vision system

(CVS). It is composed of image

acquisition and processing systems.

The flatbed scanner is found to be

technically feasible as a low-cost

image acquisition device. Using the

flatbed scanner reduced the price

of the computer vision system by

94%. The set up using the flatbed

scanner is also simpler because the

scanner has its own light source.

For the image-processing

component, PhilMech developed

the milled rice quality classification

software. This software called

“caliper” was developed to measure

the length of milled rice using the

flatbed scanner. The software is a

faster and more accurate alternative to

manual measurement of milled rice.

Using the “caliper” software

took only about two minutes to

measure the length of about 100

grains compared with about 30

minutes using the manual method.

The main menu of the windowsgraphical

user interface (GUI) of the

software shows the acquired image

of milled rice and individual grain

classification data. The software

uses computer models for the

following: weight prediction, grain

size measurement, and classification

of grains into sound and defective.

This method is faster than

manual analysis used by the National

Food Authority, which takes more

than 2 hours. The computer time

for image acquisition, processing,

and grain classification takes less

than a minute. CVS also gives a

lower average coefficient of variation

of 0.159, compared with 0.363

for manual analysis. The CVS

makes the analysis of milled rice

quality faster, more convenient,

and more accurate than the

conventional, manual method.

Graphical User Interface of the “Caliper” software for measuring

grain size, % head rice, % broken grains, and % brewers.

The PCARRD Monitor 11

POLICY

ADVOCACY

Developing Capabilities of

State Universities and Colleges

through Science and Technology (Part 4)

Institutional capability

enhancement of state universities

and colleges (SUCs) is at the core

of the “Enhancing the Demand for

Agriculture, Forestry and Natural

Resources (AFNR) Graduates through

S&T” program’s Component Projects

2 and 3. Both projects focus on

the five major sub-components

of curriculum enhancement,

facilities improvement, equipment

procurement, learning materials

development, and training.

Component 3 also tackles

income and employment

generation projects with

high S&T content.

Component Projects 2

and 3 are follow through of

the results of the completed

Component Project 1 -

research on the factors causing

the downtrend in AFNR

enrolment and in forecasting

the future supply of and

demand for AFNR graduates

in the Philippines. The results

of Project 1 were featured in

The PCARRD Monitor July–

September 2010 issue as Part 3

of a series of program features.

Overall, 58 higher

education institutions

(HEIs) or AFNR-SUCs

were capacitated under the

program via Component 2 and 3

activities. Bicol University (BU),

Cavite State University (CvSU),

Visayas State University (VSU),

Western Mindanao State University

(WMSU), University of Southeastern

Philippines (USeP), and University

of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)

implemented Component 2 activities

separate from their Component

3 immersion modalities. On the

other hand, six Consortia (four

PCARRD Consortia: ILARRDEC,

HARRDEC, CLARRDEC,

CVARRD and two PCAMRD

Consortia: Zonal Center-IV, Zonal

Center-V) implemented Component

2 as embedded activities under

their Component 3 projects.

Enhancing the Curriculum

The program’s strategy was

to develop the entrepreneurial

mindset of students and integrate

12 April–June 2011

entrepreneurship in various

AFNR curricula. The curriculum

enhancement process started with

the review and evaluation of various

AFNR curricula offered by SUCs.

The review aimed to determine

which curricula will be revised and

or enriched. Curriculum revision

passed through many stages, from

the department level through to the

board of regents for final approval.

Any curriculum enrichments and

revisions complied with existing

policies and standards for various

AFNR degree programs set by the

Commission on Higher Education

(CHED). These programs included

Bachelor of Science (BS) in

Agriculture, BS in Agribusiness

(BSAB), BS in Fisheries (BSFish), BS

in Agricultural Engineering (BSAE),

BS in Food Technology (BSFT),

BS in Forestry (BSFor), and Doctor

in Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

Of the 107 curricula reviewed, 89

were enriched and 49 were revised.

Curricular enhancements took

various forms such as the integration

of entrepreneurship in technical

subjects (e.g., CvSU); integration as

a new subject in the curricula (e.g.,

UPLB); and integration in On-the-

Job Training or students’ practicum

(e.g., CLSU). In UPLB, a new

course on entrepreneurship is now

being offered as a general education

subject – the first of its kind among

public HEIs in the country.

Improving the Facilities

Majority of the facilities

improved were on structures that

house various Technopreneurial

Learning Projects (TLPs) and

Educational-Income Generating

Projects (E-IGPs) (e.g., Tissue

Culture Laboratory of VSU) while

some support training activities such

as training centers (e.g., USEP’s

Farmers Training Center) and audiovisual

rooms (e.g., CvSU AV Room).

Through the program, SUCs met

or even surpassed the minimum

standards for campus infrastructures

and facilities set by CHED.

Overall, 207 AFNR facilities

in 36 SUCs were enhanced. This

included 4 offices, 7 training centers,

4 audio-visual rooms, 20 laboratories,

165 production- and 7 processingrelated

facilities. (Jose Tomas M.

Cabagay and Melvin B. Carlos)

The PCARRD Monitor 13

PROFILE

From the Consortia

Dr. Jesus Antonio G. Derije

With the stewardship transfer

of the Cotabato Agriculture and

Resources Research and Development

Consortium (CARRDEC) to the

University of Southern Mindanao

(USM), Dr. Jesus Antonio G.

Derije, USM president now heads

the consortium as the chair of the

Regional R&D Board (RRDB).

Derije is a Doctor of Veterinary

Medicine from the Central

Mindanao University (CMU) in

Musuan, Bukidnon and a licensed

veterinarian. He also has an MS

degree in Animal Science and PhD

in Agricultural Sciences major in

Animal Science from USM.

After graduation in 1987, he

was employed as livestock inspector

of the Department of Agriculture

in Region XI based at Digos City.

He was later absorbed by USM as

a faculty member of the College of

Veterinary Medicine (CVM). With

his inherent leadership and exemplary

performance, he was designated as the

Dean of CVM from 1995 to 2000.

Among his major functions

then was to lead and coordinate the

review for the Veterinarian Board

Examinations, which helped increase

USM-CVM passing percentage.

In fact, during his term, USM

ranked 2nd among the colleges

and universities in the country in

terms of performance in the Board

Examination in 2000; 3 rd in 1997

and 1999; and 4 th in 1996 and 1998.

In the 1997 Board Examination,

USM produced a 4 th placer.

He worked as a consultant to

San Miguel Foods, Inc. (Feed and

Animal Health Division), Novartis

Animal Health Philippines, Inc.,

Cotabato Agri-Business Development

Technology Center, Inc., and to

many livestock and poultry owners

throughout the country. He authored

the handbook in Zootechniques, “A

Primer on Gamefowl Production

and Health Management.”

Derije took his oath as university

president on January 5, 2009,

succeeding Dr. Virgilio G. Oliva.

In his inaugural speech, he stressed

that his administration would work

towards realizing the vision, mission,

goals and objectives of the University

with emphasis on transparency

and accountability as well as

professionalism and moral values.

In his 2 years as president, USM

received various recognitions for

excellence in different categories,

such as Center of Excellence in

Veterinary Medicine, National

Center of Excellence (College of

Agriculture); Center of Development

in Agricultural Biotechnology

and in Biology; and the granting

of Level IV accreditation of

the Bachelor of Sciences in

Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural

Chemistry, and Agriculture.

R&D in CMU was also

strengthened through increased

budget; sustained links with national

and international institutions for

funding support and collaborative

research undertaking for technology

generation; and attendance to

national and international scientific

conferences for technology updates.

In October 2010, Derije was

given the Soka Award and Award

of Highest Honor on October

9, 2010 by Dr. Daisaka Ikeda,

founder, and Dr. Hideo Yamamoto,

president, of Soka University,

in recognition of his invaluable

contributions to higher education.

During his installation as

chair of the Regional R&D

Board of CARRDEC, Derije

assured member-agencies that

he would continue the efforts of

his predecessor in pushing the

consortium towards an outstanding

level of performance through

cooperation and collaborative

effort. (Criselda C. Bangoy)

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