ENERO 5, 2021

ISA sa bantog na uri ng tsokolate sa mundo na kung tawagin ay “Criollo” ang kinilala sa isang proyekto ng PCAARRD sa Mindanao kaugnay na rin ng mga pagbabago sa larangan ng pananaliksik sa cacao upang mai angat ang industriya nito sa pilipinas.

Ilang mga uri ng cacao ang kinolekta upang malaman ang totoong Criollo, ito ang may mga mas mataas na uri ng lasa at aroma. Ang katulad na mga uri ay nabibili ng may kamahalan at ginagawang dekalidad na produktong tsokolate.

Ang sinasabing tunay na Criollo ay natagpuan sa Maragusan province ng Compostela Valley; munisipyo ng  Sarangani sa Davao Occidental; Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Davao; University of Southern Mindanao Agricultural Research Center (USMARC), Cotabato; at mga barangay Buena Vida at Garsika sa Makilala, Cotabato province.

 Sa pamamagitan ng functional genomics o ang pag aaral upang maunawaan ang genes at pag analisa sa ilang nitong functions kung saan maaring maging less susceptible sa ilang biotic at abiotic stress, drought related stress, peste, sakit at iba pang environmental stresses batay sa mga mananaliksik ng University of Southern Mindanao (USM) and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)

Bukod sa natuklasang tunay na criollo napag alaman ng mga mananaliksik sa Mindanao ang mga kakaibang genes katulad ng sa mga nairekomenda ng National Seed Industry Council’s (NSIC) na mga uri ng cacao trees na high yielding at matatag sa mga sakit.

Ang nasabing pag aaral ay pinondohan ng Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).

Bilang pagtugon sa pangangailangan sa cacao, nabatid na cacao o cocoa beans na pangunahing sangkap sa paggawa ng tsokolate ay patuloy na may mataas na pangangailangan sa bahagi ng produksyon sa pilipinas at tinatayang may 7,000 metriko toneladang cacao ang inani nuong 2017 na may 11.9% na mataas sa naging produksyon ng taong 2016 ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Isang malaking hamon para sa bansa lalo sa industriya ng cacao ang pangangailangan sa cacao kaya kailangan pananaliksik upang matugunan ang mga economic loss na maka aapekto sa mga magtatanim sa bansa.

Kinilala ng proyekto ang mga high-yielding, disease-resistant, at dekalidad na mga uri ng cacao na makapag a angat sa produksyon ng cacao sa Pilipinas, maari rin itong makapagbigay ng mga paraan upang makita ang mga matibay at matatag na uri ng cacao sa bansa.

Bunsod nito, ang mga pangunahing naging bunga ng proyekto ay ang pagkakalikha ng mga molecular markers kung saan ang DNA samples na nakalap buhat sa mga dahon ay inaral, ipinagtulad sa mga nairekomendang ri ng NSIC kung saan lumabas ang 664 na mga markers ay maari pang magamit para patuloy na isulong ang analysis and screening of varieties.

Dagdag pa rito, ang mga markers na sinubok at naberipika ay may layuning alamin kung ano ang mga nabibilang sa uring Criollo. Ang nasabing mga markers na pangunahing nilikha ay mabisang makakilala ng uring Criollo o mga ring hindi Criollo kaya ang nasabing pamamaraan ay naglalayong pag aralan rin at kilalanin ang iba pang ri ng cacao sa mundo.

 Isa pang paraang tinutuklas upang makilala ang tunay na uring Criollo ay sa pamamagitan ng phylogenetic analysis ng mga markers, kung saan ipinakikita ang anim na tunay na Criollo types na natuklasan sa 10 sample varieties na nakalapa sa Mindanao. Dagdag pa rito ang, association mapping analysis na kumikilala sa katatagan ng cacao sa paglaban sa mga sakit na naipakita sa ilang mga  markers na resistive sa L. theobromae and P. palmivora, na maari ring gamitin sa iba pang ri ng cacao para sa pagpaparami nito.

 Ang proyektong may titulong, “From Functional Genomics to Functional Applications in Cacao Production and Varietal Improvement,” ay isa sa mga finalists para sa napipintong National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD), sa research category. Ito ay isinagawa USM at UPLB. 

Sa pangunguna ng  DOST-PCAARRD, kinikilala ng NSAARRD ang mga natatanging kontribusyon ng mga indibidwal  at institusyon upang iangat ang kalagayan ng research and development (R&D) sa bansa.  Binigyang parangal ng DOST-PCAARRD ang mga magwawagi ng NSAARRD sa pamamagitan ng isang virtual S&T Awards and Recognition nitong December 22, 2020 at makikita ng ilan pang detalye ukol rito sa link na ito:: https://bit.ly/SnTawardsevent 

mula sa mga detalyeng buhat kay Jamsie Joy E. Perez, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services///Mj Balaguer, +639053611058, maryjaneolvina@gmail.com

PCAARRD, CLSU ATBI mobilizes COVID-19 relief efforts in Nueva Ecija and other localities

Food and non-food products were recently distributed to frontliners, health workers, and COVID-19 affected communities in Nueva Ecija and other localities. This was accomplished by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) through the incubatees of the Central Luzon State University Agricultural Technology Business Incubator (CLSU ATBI). 

Led by CLSU Commercial and Business Development Office Director Dr. Rafael J. Pablo, Jr., the ATBI houses Mycosphere, Daerry’s Tilapia Ice Cream, Justainable Philippines, and Mrs. and Mr. Alfon’s, among others. These incubatees responded to the call for relief goods as the ATBI team mobilized to contribute to the provision of basic necessities to families and individuals affected by the enhanced and extended Community Quarantine, as stated in the Republic Act No. 11469, which is also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

About 327 health workers, soldiers, policemen, security guards, garbage collectors, and community volunteers in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija received Daerry’s tilapia ice cream on April 7, 9, and 13.

Mrs. Hazel Alfon and Mr. Alexander William Alfon’s disinfecting and cleaning materials (liquid handwash, dishwashing liquid, liquid detergent, and all-purpose cleaner) infused with extracts from lemon peelings were distributed in April 2020 to the Tarlac Provincial Hospital, Dominican Mission Group in Tuguegarao, and frontliners in Brgy. Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Frontliners deployed in Metro Manila received 1,700 bottles of calamansi juice produced by Justainable Philippines, Inc. The Office of Vice President Leni Robredo, through its Angat Buhay program, partnered with the said incubatee in hauling and distributing the products from April 15 to 17.

Moreover, to help secure food sustainability, about 300 bags of white and brown oyster mushroom spawns produced by Mycosphere have been distributed to the mushroom growers in Baguio City, Bukidnon, Cebu, Bohol, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Lanao del Norte, and Nueva Ecija since February.

In a report, Dr. Pablo said that this response aims to embody DOST-PCAARRD’s commitment and its constant challenge to all TBIs to foster and nurture partnerships and collaborations. 

Other members of the DOST-PCAARRD ATBI network have also been organizing relief assistance activities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ATBIs of the Benguet State University (BSU) and Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) started their efforts in March and April, respectively.

The three universities are among the 16 ATBIs that are currently being supported by the DOST-PCAARRD. ATBIs house mature technologies that are commercialized by supporting, nurturing, and establishing viable agribusinesses under the ATBIs’ care. 

PCAARRD is one of the sectoral councils of the DOST, which is mandated to formulate policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors the national R&D efforts in the AANR sector. It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program (Kariza M. Geminiano, Dr. Pablo J. Rafael, Jr., DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).

CvSU distributes Silan Agri-Farm papayas in Cavite through DOST-PCAARRD SciCAT

Fresh papayas produced in the Silan Agri-Farm in Indang, Cavite were recently distributed to 474 frontliners in the Cavite province. This was accomplished by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) through the Cavite State University (CvSU).

The Silan Agri-Farm is one of the sites of the Science for the Convergence of Agriculture and Tourism (SciCAT) Program of PCAARRD. SciCAT, is the result of technological convergence to improve the productivity and capacity of farms for sustainable practices while showcasing their beauty and attraction. The said farm is being supported through the CvSU project led by Dr. Ruel M. Mojica and Dr. Lilibeth P. Novicio.

CvSU held the first batch of its relief operations in Indang, Cavite, which benefitted 188 frontliners of the Rural Health Unit of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), traffic enforcers, engineers, and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Another batch of relief assistance was extended to 101 frontliners of the General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial (GEAM) Hospital in Trece Martires, Cavite.

The third batch reached 185 frontliners, broken down into: 60 frontliners and public market community workers, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in Indang; 50 frontliners from the Manuel V. Santiago Medical Center (MVSMC) in Trece Martires City; and 75 frontliners in the City of General Trias Doctors Medical Center (GtDMC) in General Trias City on April 24.

The team is scheduled to distribute the fourth batch of fresh papayas on the last week of April 2020.

The 15-hectare Silan Agri-Farm is owned by Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Edilberto Silan and his wife, Ms. Shirley Silan. The farm produces dragon fruit, banana, papaya, cucumbers, eggplants, bitter gourds, and other vegetables. The Silan Agri-Farm is currently being transformed into a SciCAT farm site for tourists, students, educators, and technology transfer advocates, among others. 

This initiative is one of the efforts of the Council to help alleviate the country’s situation amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Projects under the DOST-PCAARRD Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) program are also currently responding to the call for relief assistance. 

PCAARRD is one of the sectoral councils of the DOST, which is mandated to formulate policies, plans, and programs for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors under its concern. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors the national R&D efforts in the AANR sector. It also allocates government and external funds for R&D and generates resources to support its program (Kariza M. Geminiano, Dr. Lilibeth P. Novicio, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).