harvest no. 4

Harvest NO. 4 NOVEMBER 2011

Advocating science-based agriculture

Alcala taps CropLife for IPM Fusarium wilt naminsala sa mga sagingan L CropLife and agriculture experts brief Secretary Alcala on trends in crop science.

A

GRICULTURE SECRETARY Proceso J. Alcala has tapped CropLife Philippines to help the Department with extension work on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) all over the country.

Winning the war vs. pests

3

CropLife Philippines initiated the meeting to update the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary on its programs. CropLife had recently concluded its own national roll-out on Insecticide Resistance Manage-

Sundan sa pahina 13

Continued on page 2

Diamond Back Moth (DBM)

bio-control in the Philippines

7

Abot-kayang ‘farm inputs’ para sa mga magsasaka

16

Leonilo Doloricon

Alcala assigned Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Clarito Barron to spearhead the creation of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with CropLife on a planned DA-CropLife IPM roll-out and biocontrol agent breeding program.

UMABAS sa isinagawang pagsusuri ng Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) na tinatayang 634.70 ektarya na ng mga sagingan sa rehiyon ng Davao ang dinapuan na ng tinatawag na Fusarium Wilt (FW) na isang sakit sa lupa na unang nakita sa Panama.

Ito ay ayon kay FPA Davao Regional Director Estrella Laquinta, at idinagdag niyang ang mga apektadong ektarya ay 50.4 sa Davao Norte, 425.30 sa Compostela Valley at 159 naman sa Davao

DA taps CropLife... from page 1

ment (IRM) with the international industry think-tank Insect Resistance Action Committee (IRAC).

On hearing of the successful conclusion of this first IRM program which included lectures and workshops on the breeding and deployment of Diadegma (for upland use) and Cotesia (for lowland use) against the Diamondback Moth (DBM), Alcala enlisted CropLife’s support for a nationwide roll-out of the same.

Prof. Eulogio V. Cardona Jr. of Benguet State University (BSU) pioneered in bringing the wasps into

the country and breeding them (see related story below). Cardona was part of the CropLife-IRAC program.

The wasps are a welcome organic biological control alternate intervention agent in rotation with regular pesticides. It being a physical Mode of Action (MoA) stymies the development of heritable resistance in DBM which has recently exhibited resistance in a wide variety of pesticides.

The MOA contemplates an Integrated Pest Management program in cooperation with CropLife where the latter will assist in the extension and dissemination work while DA will provide the breeding stations for the organic biocontrol

agents and maintenance and workshop logistics.

The MOA also envisions “the development of a practical package of technologies by combining the use of products of modern biotechnology and other available science-based technologies and appropriate FPAapproved, need-based, environmentfriendly crop protection chemicals while at the same time taking into account the potential impact of climate change.”

The initial draft MOA has been fashioned by BPI and is now under study. The projected roll-out will benefit farmers of cabbages and other crucifers such as cauliflowers, broccoli and the like.

Good IPM practices

CropLife, IRAC conduct IRM workshops

C

ROPLIFE Philippines and the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) have concluded a series of successful workshops nationwide on insecticide resistance management (IRM) in vegetables.

The IRM workshops aim to update participants on the strategies in IRM and to promote these strategies to prevent the development of the resistant strains of major insect pests on vegetables like cabbage and eggplant.

The workshops brought together crop pest specialists and they were able to discuss issues, concerns and challenges on IRM in several provinces and linkages among stakeholders in IRM were strengthened.

On May 17, a workshop was held in La Trinidad, Benguet in cooperation with the Department of Entomology and the College of Agriculture of Benguet State University.

2

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

The gathering was attended by researchers, municipal agriculture offices, extension workers, company agronomists and extension staff.

Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program Office Director Dr. Cardida Adalla, discussed the Integrated Test Management (ITM).

ITM is the integration of two or more control tactics – cultural, biological, genetic and chemical –to make certain effective management of pests with least negative impact to the environment and the society.

IRM principles were then discussed by Dr. Emilliana Bernardo, professor emeritus, UPLB, and;

Dr. John Andaloro of IRAC

maintaining susceptibility to vegetable insecticides.

Dr. Eulogio Cardona, of Benguet State University (BSU) tackled resistance issues in cabbage, Philippine Continued on page 4

EDITORIAL

Winning the war vs pests

P

LANT BREEDERS and crop protection companies are into a battle royale against pests, and the nation should not begrudge them for telling all and sundry that the struggle is a continuing one that needs creativity and commitment to pursue to ensure victory in the end.

It is a challenge that involves conventional farmers and those engaged in natural farming since no single system can eradicate pests, with every pest feeding on crops developing immunity in the long haul unless proper procedures and correct management methods are employed.

Insects, pests, viruses and fungi mutate in the same manner that bacilli and bacteria also mutate Jose Burgos III in the face of challenges posed by broad spectrum been undertaken to use integrated pest management (IPM) drugs, as what has happened to the sudden upsurge as an environmentally-friendly means to protect crops. of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.

Yet, there is no absolute guarantee that it can work On the other hand, there have been spectacular under all conditions, with pests proving to be a hardy lot. reversals in the battle against HIV, with some patients They can be defeated once, twice or thrice but they suddenly overcoming the virus that renders the human rebound after several generations, more immune system weak and subject virulent and practically immune to to collapse.

With problems hobbling biological agents thrown against them.

Science has a way to explain Bt showed the way for the use of all of these, just as it now also farmers, experiments an organic agent to battle pests at the uses biological agents to battle have been undertaken genetic level and its directed toxins pests, viruses, fungi, bacteria and attack only pests and not humans, other malevolent organisms that to use integrated pest rendering crops armed with it to be thrive in water, air and soil, to the management (IPM) as an doubly strong. greater surprise of those who have It is laudable that crop protection believed that organic means are the environmentally-friendly companies are working hand-in-glove only salvation for agriculture and means to protect crops. to help farmers battle pests since the three billion people who sleep they passion and ardor to work on without food on their stomachs the problem using the best scientific night after night. methods, with many of them actually using green chemicals Biotechnology is working at the level of crops to to protect crops, farmers and the environment itself. unleash proteins that make them hostile to pests and This is an opportunity that farmers should not let pass.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) had been an astounding The more scientific methods available for the task, the success in arming transgenic crops with the genes better for the farmers, scholars say. needed to prevent pests from boring into vegetables As a Chinese sage would say, “let a thousand flowers or nibbling on rice grains. bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend.�

With problems hobbling farmers, experiments have

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

3

CropLife, IRAC...

from page 2

experience.

A similar workshop was held two days later in Pangasinan.

Countering cabbage damage

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, the larvae of lepidopterous pests (moths, butterflies and others) attacking local cabbage and other cruciferous vegetable crops are developing resistance to insecticides that has got agricultural scientists and farmers alike worried.

This insecticide resistance renders the insect pest population uncontrollable and puts the sustainability of the local production of cabbage and similar crops at risk.

Dr. Luis A. Teixeira, an Entomologist and member of IRAC International, tackled the issue in his lecture on “Maintaining Susceptibility to Vegetable Insecticides” at the “Trainers Training Workshop on Insecticide Resistance Management in Vegetables” in Cebu on June 5.

The seminar sponsored by CropLife and IRAC International in partnership with the Regional Field Office of the Department of Agriculture.

In the workshop, it was concluded that a keen understanding of the biology of the insects attacking the crops is essential to resistance management.

It was also reported that insects exhibit varying life cycles at different sites and environments, affecting the development of new generations of insects that can initiate resistance build-up.The observed life cycle in specific locations should dictate the proper cycle and schedule of insecticide rotation in those areas.

Finally, rotation should be prac-

4

Advocating science-based agriculture

ticed based on modes of action, instead of brands, to prevent or delay the development of resistance. Various brands that actually exercise the same modes of action may be available in the market from various competing companies. Rotating brands with the same mode of action will prove ineffective.

Managing pests

In Davao, CropLife, IRAC and the DA in the region held a seminarworkshop at the Grand Regal Hotel on July 19 to train pest management practitioners in the booming vegetable and banana plantations.

More than 150 technicians, agriculturists and scientists in the area are being trained on IRM. Recent reports show that the Diamondback moth (DBM), a major pest attacking cabbages, lettuce and other leafy vegetables is developing

In the workshop, it was concluded that a keen understanding of the biology of the insects attacking the crops is essential to resistance. management.

insecticide resistance in Benguet and possibly other vegetable-growing areas in the country.

Such resistance build-up can compromise the farmers’ ability to control infestation of the fields leading to possible production losses.

Executive Director Dr. Norlito Gicana of the DA’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) in his opening remarks announced the DA’s growing cooperation with CropLife and the private sector in the department’s “Food Staple Sufficiency Program.” He encouraged the private sector to help in the proper and religious documentation of actual field experiences in the usage of various products so as to further science-based agriculture in the country.

Adalla and Bernardo, the pioneering expert on resistance management in the country, then led off with principles and concepts in IPM and IRM. Cardona outlined the promise of natural bio-control agents like diadegma and cotesia, natural wasplike parasites that attack the larvae of the DBM (related story on page 7). Diadegma is seen to be appropriate for use in cooler, upland areas while cotesia is for warmer areas in lowland applications.

Diadegma and cotesia physically attack the larvae of DBM,

The delegates in the Cebu workshop

depositing their own eggs in them that, in turn, as parasitic larvae, devour the DBM larvae from inside.

Diadegma and cotesia are therefore seen as good bio-control agents to complement environment-friendly chemical insecticides to avoid development of insecticide resistance.

BSU rears and distributes these bio-control agents to farmers for dispersal.

In a related development, DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala had earlier enjoined CropLife and its membercompanies into partnership with the DA in promoting comprehensive IPM among farmers and supporting the accessibility and proper deployment of its concepts and products in the field.

UK-trained entomolog i st Pe t e D av i e s ,

The workshops brought together crop pest specialists and they were able to discuss issues, concerns and challenges on IRM in several provinces and linkages among stakeholders in IRM were strengthened. currently Head of Field Trial Management for Bayer Crop Science in South East Asia based in Laguna and a representative of IRAC International, rounded off the seminars with methods in “maintaining susceptibility to vegetable insecticides.�

Davies emphasized the need to alternate the use of insecticides having different Modes of Action (MoA) rather than just using different generic products and brands.

Various brands across competing companies may exhibit the same

MoA on the insect populations, thereby increasing the possibility of resistance development in succeeding insect generations.

Such insecticide resistance buildup could lead to heavy infestations and crop losses to farmers.

Laguna workshop

CropLife and IRAC then hosted a training workshop at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) auditorium in Los BaĂąos, Laguna on August 16 for farmers and agricultural technicians in using the latest advances in IRM to combat pests that threaten to ravage crops and upland vegetables.

Officials of the FPA attended the workshop, which aims to bring together crop specialists, farmers and local government officials in plotting strategies to combat the menace.

CropLife executive director Sim Cuyson said the workshop is a significant contribution to the need for control of pests that threaten eggplants and cabbage, two important vegetables that are part of the Filipino diet.

The workshop comes on the heels

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

5

of a workshop held in Lucena City on August 12 for the benefit of Quezon farmers, particularly those growing vegetables.

UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco keynoted the event, followed by a discussion on the general principles of IRM and IPM, which also uses biological agents to control pests, by Dr. Lourdes Taylo of the UPLB-Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB.) CropLife vice president Florence Vasquez delivered an overview of the workshop while Martin Navasero of the Crop Protection Cluster of UPLB tackled the issues of IRM for

eggplant, which is the most popular vegetable in the Philippine market.

Cardona presented their findings on wasp varieties that attack the DBM larvae, as bio-control agents for cool upland areas (diadegma) and warmer lowland farms (cotesia). The DA is interested in breeding and rearing such appropriate bio-control agents in strategic areas in the country to support national IPM efforts with CropLife.

For his part, Dr. John Andaloro of IRAC discussed the impact of pests on crops and the methods that could

Cardona presented their findings on wasp varieties that attack the DBM larvae, as bio-control agents for cool upland areas (diadegma) and warmer lowland farms (cotesia). The DA is interested in breeding and rearing such appropriate bio-control agents in strategic areas in the country to support national IPM efforts with CropLife.

be employed to make pests reduce their ability to develop resistance to insecticides and other agents.

Cuyson and crop experts are pushing the regular conduct of workshops for the benefit of vegetable growers not only in Region 4 but also in the uplands, particularly in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), where DBM has reportedly developed resistance to conventional control agents.

CropLife’s Napoleon Saavedra discussed the proper use of control agents for DBM and other pests while Dr. Billy Raymundo of UPLB gave his reaction to the papers delivered during the workshop.

CropLife president Rodel Macatula moderated the open forum during which participants discussed at length the different methods that could be applied to eradicate not only DBM but other pests that prey on eggplants and other vegetables.

Participants huddle at the Laguna seminar.

6

Advocating science-based agriculture

Diamond Back Moth (DBM) Bio-control in the Philippines

By Lita Molitas Colting and Eulogio V. Cardona Jr, Professors, Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Benguet State University, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Diamondback Moth

RUCIFERS such as cabbages and cauliflower, broccoli and bok choi, and similar green leafy vegetables whose flowers with their four petals resembles a cross (Cruciferae, New Latin for “crossbearing”) are “high value” vegetable crops in the Philippines today. Popular among consumers and, therefore, very lucrative for farmers, they are also very attractive to insect pests.

C

Cabbage ranks second among the vegetable crops that are grown in the country. The area planted to cabbage in 2009 was 8,453 hectares.

As of September 2010, the total volume of production was 134,305 MT amounting to PhP 905.37 M

with a yield of 18.3 MT per hectare (BAS,2011).

The Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) or DBM, on the other hand, remains the major pest of cabbage and other crucifers in the Philippines since its outbreak in

the mid-1960s. Also called the cabbage moth, it is known to be of European origin but has spread all over the world wherever cabbage is grown. Likewise, it is now found in all cabbage-growing areas in the Philippines.

Diamondback Moth Known variously as “Tarzan” or “bitin-bitin” in the vernacular, DBM is voracious and is one of the insect pests most hated by local cabbage and vegetable farmers.

Highly adaptable, DBM has exhibited rapid insecticide resistance development capabilities to most interventions used locally through

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

7

The Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) or DBM, on the other hand, remains the major pest of cabbage and other crucifers in the Philippines since its outbreak in the mid-1960s.

Diadegma (for the uplands)

the years except for some bio-control methods like the parasitoid wasps Diadegma (for the uplands) and Cotesia (for the lowlands). Benguet State University pioneered research and rearing of the wasps in Benguet in 1990.

Diadegma (for the uplands)/ Cotesia (for the lowlands) These bio-control parasitoids physically attack the larvae of DBM, laying eggs inside the larvae that consume them from the inside, thus exterminating them. Continuing monitoring studies conducted by one of the writers, Cardona Jr., find 85% parasitism where the wasps have been released.

As a physical mode of action, the parasitoids are an excellent rotation alternative to insecticides today. The DBM has shown no capability as yet to develop any form of effective resistance to the wasps in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) program.

The rearing and introduction/ release of the bio-control parasitoids 8

Advocating science-based agriculture

Cotesia (for the lowlands)

in the various cabbage-producing areas all over the Philippines is one of the actions contemplated in the Memorandum of Agreement being fashioned by the Bureau of Plant Industry under the helm of BPI Director Dr. Clarito Barron with CropLife Philippines, with the participation of Benguet State University.

The pesticide industry sector introduced the concept of judicious use of pesticides in the 1980s. This was primarily to address concerns over farmers’ health, pesticide residues in soil and water, but also to prevent the development of insecticide resistant pest strains.

In 2009, their network was

strengthened with the establishment of CropLife Philippines. Advocating good agricultural practices (GAP), CropLife intensified their campaign for stewardship and the prudent management of empty insecticide containers. Lately, they organized the so-called “Diamide Group” to re-tool/educate stakeholders on the principles and practice of effective insect/insecticide resistance management based on alternating pesticide Modes of Action (MoA).

DBM resistance has been noted to almost all kinds of insecticides introduced: from organochlorines, carbamates, organophosphates, pyrethroids, insect growth regulators; Cypermethryn; Deltamethrin, Fenvalerate, Rotenone, Triazophos ; Cartap; and Spinosad.

Multiple resistance was also noted to DDT, Carbaryl, Mevinphos, Malathion, Methyl Parathion, Diazinon and Dichlorvos. It must also be the same in the case of the insect growth regulators (IGRs) and other insecticides that led to their early withdrawal from the market.

Compounds that were effective when first introduced soon became ineffective. It is deemed surprising though that the insecticides that were sold in the 1960s are still available in the local market.

Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was also observed only two years after it was found effective (Calapan and Gabriel, 1975). The four kinds of Bts that were tested in 2001 were, however, found to be effective against DBM populations in Benguet.

The ways in which farmers managed resistant DBM and other crop pests changed throughout the years as farm area increased, farm technology changed, environmental conditions changed, and as consumer

demands changed.

They can be summarized into four stages: a) natural farming in the 1950s, b) pesticide-based farming in the 1960s to 1980s, c) biocon-based IPM in the late 1980s to 1990s, and d) recently (2000s) – good agricultural practices or organic farming.

Natural farming includes cultural management and crop rotation which are still practiced at present. In the latest survey in Benguet, 45% practice crop rotation, 31% release Diadegma, 13% practice IPM while the remaining 13% do other practices such as organic farming.

Sustainable management of DBM started in the 1990s when in 1989 the Philippines imported and reared Diadegma semiclausum for use (in the highlands). Mass rearing and field release of Diadegma was done in BSU in 1990 and in two years, the parasitoid was established. Cabbage farmers were able to harvest up to 25 tons/ha. In the lowlands, Cotessia plutellae was introduced.

Cardona made a study on the biology of DBM and Diadegma in 1997 that had great impact on the program in Benguet. He established techniques in mass rearing and field release, in monitoring and evaluation of the efficacy of the parasitoids.

He also identified insecticides compatible with Diadegma.

In his latest study (Cardona, 2010), he reports that efficacy remains high (85%) in areas where there was field release supplemented with Bt insecticide.

In conclusion, there is a need to continue the biocon-based sustainable management of DBM in the Philippines: re-establish Diadegma/Cotesia Rearing Houses throughout the country, develop a farmer-friendly monitoring system, i.e. easier ways of sampling pest population and determining the % of parasitism, retool farmers and other stakeholders on IPM, and introduce the concept of farm recording.

Finally, a “ready-to-go” QRS Team with QRS protocols in solving pest outbreaks should likewise be established.

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

9

Partnering for Responsiveness HEN the officers of the board of CropLife Philippines met with Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala last October, it was our second meeting with the Secretary.

W

Our first meeting had been the customary courtesy call we paid on him as the new CropLife board last August . At that first meeting, he had happily surprised us with his candor and easy style.

CropLife had requested this second meeting with Secretary Alcala to update him on our recently concluded roll-out program of the Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) seminar-workshops that we had co-sponsored with the Insect Resistance Action Committee (IRAC).

CropLife had started the program in Baguio, Benguet and had taken it to Quezon, Pangasinan, Cebu and Davao.

The Secretary was most interested in the biological control content we had infused into the workshop program: Diadegma and Cotesia for use in alternate rotation with pesticides as a means to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in general and IRM in particular as regards the Diamondback Moth (DBM).

The Secretary was most keen on addressing the need to propagate and culture the appropriate wasps for distribution and release in the various regional locations where they may help the farmers control DBM infestation of cabbages and other crucifers.

He underlined our industry’s

10

Advocating science-based agriculture

the culture and rearing of the wasps, including the necessary breeding infrastructure and the participation of experts like Prof. Eulogio Cardona Jr. of Benguet State

By Rodel Macatula University in training President local staff and farmers CropLife Philippines, Inc. on the maintenance of the breeding stations.

Although the industry already maintains a highly effective relationship with the capability to help farmers apDA, most especially with the FPA as preciate IPM and IRM more thorits regulatory agency, the partnership oughly and effectively through envisioned by the Secretary will our field technicians and sales make this relationship deeper, more and marketing executives in the active and expansive, and even more regions. Lamenting the devoluacutely responsive to the needs of tion to LGUs and the subsequent farmers. discontinuation of the DepartWe see this as a very welcome ment Agriculture’s (DA) own development and anticipate the agricultural extension program, development and implementation he sought the industry’s intervenof the MOA as soon as possible. tion at the grassroots level.

With this kind of partnership, CropLife accepted the chalwe begin to see more clearly how lenge and proposed to undertake the DA intends to achieve their a continuing IPM /IRM program food and agricultural objectives. with the DA’s assistance.

A public-private partnership temSecretary Alcala assigned Direcplate such as this, even on this tor Clarito Barron of the BPI, who minor scale, can help ensure their was in attendance at the meeting, to achievement. spearhead the creation of a MemSecretary Alcala, even during orandum of Agreement (MOA) his stint in Congress, had already between CropLife and the DA, in been known for his creativity and active partnership in propelling the highly innovative approaches. program.

This further enhances that.

The DA intends to fund the incluWe hope to be able to help make sion of the bio-control aspect in the his dreams for the farmers and our proposed IPM program. Secretary people bear fruit.

Alcala said further that he intends to As the crop science industry has fund the logistical requirements for always tried to.

Taking a Lead Role in IPM and Insect Resistance Management T

HE IRM trainers - training workshops which CropLife conducted on a nationwide roll-out this year was enlightening to a lot of people, including among others, company technicians, LGU extension workers and key farmers.

This is the first time that such a training was conducted by the association – after member companies recognized the importance of insecticide resistance management in extending the commercial life of insecticide compounds particularly in the management of problematic pests such as Diamond Back Moth (Plutella xyllostella), a major pest of cabbage and other crucifers.

This pest has historically exhibited resistance to different insecticides in the past. One of the key objectives of the trainers- training was to impart the knowledge and ensure adoption of the strategy of rotating the use of insecticides with different Modes of Action (MoA), thus helping farmers maximize the benefit of using chemical insecticides while at the same time having the choice of adopting other IPM options such as using appropriate biological control agents such as Diadegma and Cotesia sp. where applicable .

The training workshops helped the participants in understanding the principles and adopting the practice of using Mode of Action (MoA) and its application in the field as an integral part of IPM. The training on MoA was fundamentally based on the work and recommendations of the Insecticide Resistance Manage-

down the training to the farmers’ level. The workshops also underlined the need for more simplified printed materials for distribution to our farmer-constituents, especially considerBy Simeon Cuyson ing that Filipinos Executive Director speak and read in CropLife Philippines Inc. quite a number of local language groups.

“A printed booklet on IRM for farmers? Yes, by all means!” Dr. ment Committee (IRAC) , which Luis Teixeira, in a workshop postalso provided funding support to mortem, said. “I’m sure IRAC will the project. agree and will certainly support such The rotation of products used a program,” he added. in the management of pests and We congratulate our local IRM managing resistance build-up had committee and all our member fallen victim to the wrong appreciacompanies for a great initiative, and tion or confusion of “brands” and look forward to their pursuing the even “ AI ‘s or common names” as program at the farmers’ level with the main guide for insecticide rotathe same vigor and vitality. tion. In the current situation where there are multiple brands and AI’s *** belonging to the same MoA groups (as classified by IRAC), it is easy CropLife Asia’s Regional Reguto understand how this can happen. latory Meeting this Nov. 29-30, 2011 All the background information at the New World Hotel comes at on the principles and practice of IPM an opportune time and to an ever and Insect Resistance Management, increasingly hospitable venue such and Management of major pests as the Philippines. of crucifers and eggplant given by It is heartening to note that the invited speakers who are recognized local advocacy for science-based experts in their fields, combined agriculture that CropLife Philipwith focus on MoA, this confusion pines has adopted and partnered has largely been dispelled. The actively with i-FARM is gaining workshop outcomes and syntheses ground among all the important have borne this out. stakeholders.

The next challenge is bringing

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

11

CropLife Philippines, Inc.

CropLife’s member-companies have always taken seriously their responsibility for stewardship and have even expanded their corporate social responsibility programs to help the farmers and other publics understand and meet the challenges, including those brought about by nature and climate change.

In the Philippines, we are entering into a new era of cooperation with government and its regulators as regards science-based farming and new technologies. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) being drafted the Bureau of Plant Industry between CropLife and the Department of Agriculture is one such area of cooperation. In it we will find the seed of mutually beneficial cooperation on the regulatory level with the farmers and their publics as the ultimate beneficiaries of the program.

The lessons are not lost to us. Informing each other and understanding one another because of this is the way to go. It will provide the rightful options to the farmers and the consumers they serve.

The need to provide food for our growing population is such an over-arching concern. But we must also make certain that we are able to provide the farmer who grows the food with the ability to make the right choices and afford him gainful living out of the activity, protect this gain and allow him to continue his role in society fruitfully.

The new initiative taken by Secretary Alcala on the MOA is heartening because it opens up new avenues of engagement and cooperation between CropLife and the DA. We are certain that we are able to assist even more in helping the DA achieve its rice and food objectives under this new, more participative regime.

It is heartening to note that the local advocacy for sciencebased agriculture that CropLife Philippines has adopted and partnered actively with i-FARM is gaining ground among all the important stakeholders.

*** This issue of Harvest comes in an even more handy, more portable version. It also begins to go bi-lingual.

We aim to disperse the copies more extensively, to include interested LGUs and their extension workers, the academe, students and even more of the farmers we serve.

We hope to engage more of our constituents in the coming issues.

12

Advocating science-based agriculture

2010-2011 Officers and Board of Directors Rodel F. Macatula, DuPont Far East, Inc., President Florence B. Vasquez, Bayer CropScience Phils.

VicePresident

Rizza Santos, DOW AgriScience Secretary

Jose Ramon L. Valmayor, Syngenta Phils., Inc. Treasurer

Fernando C. Tagalog, Jardine Distribution, Inc. Auditor

Gabriel O. Romero, Monsanto Philippines Director Antipas R. Criador IV, BASF Philippines Director

Simeon A. Cuyson, Executive Director

FUSARIUM WILT...mula sa pahina 1 City mismo.

Kinumpirma din ng Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) sa Davao del Norte na ang mabalasik na FW ay nakapaminsala na sa mga plantasyon ng saging sa Sto. Tomas.

Ang pagpasok na ito ng nasabing fungus ay nagbabadya ng lubos na panganib sapagkat ang Fusarium ay nananahan sa lupa at saka papasok sa ugat ng puno ng saging at sa huli ay papatayin ang buong puno.

Ang FW ay sanhi ng Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense at itinuturing na pinakamalupit sa lahat ng sakit sa halaman na nakakaapekto sa saging.

Napuna umano ng mga nagtatanim ang marahan ngunit patuloy na pagkalanta ng mga punong saging mula Hunyo at sinabi sa OPA ang kanilang obserbasyon.

Bunsod ng pagkabahala sa nasabing kaganapan, humingi na din ng tulong ang mga magsasaka sa Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, Inc. (PBGEA.) Ayon pa sa mga magsasaka, inamin umano ng

ilang government agriculturists, na salat sila sa kaaalaman hinggil sa Fusarium at kulang ang nalalalaman upang masupil ang ito.

Ang Committee on Agriculture ng Sto. Tomas Sangguniang Bayan (SB) ay nagsagawa na ng mga pagdinig ukol dito at nalamang ang FW, na kilala din bilang Panama disease (PD) sa ibang bansang nagtatanim ng saging ay maaaring

Kinumpirma din ng Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) sa Davao del Norte na ang mabalasik na FW ay nakapaminsala na sa mga plantasyon ng saging sa Sto. Tomas.

gawing imbalido ang taniman ng abot sa 20 taon kundi mapupuksa ang spores ng fungi na kumakapit sa lupa.

Ayon sa mga siyentipiko ng PBGEA, ang fungus na tumatama sa Cavendish, lakatan at iba pang uri ng saging na tumutubo sa mga bansang tropical ay nasa kategoryang Race 4, ang strain na wala pang kongkretong lunas hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Maaring lipulin ng fungus na ito ang buong mga plantasyon at mga karatig na taniman kung ang gma control at containment measures ay hindi maayos na maipatutupad.

Kumakalat ang sakit sa pamamagitan ng mga kontaminadong planting materials at lupa at maaring sundan sa susunod na pahina

Jose Burgos III

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

13

Pag-atake ng Fusarium Wilt susuriin ng DA

Leonilo Doloricon

kumilos sa tubig na dumadaloy sa mga apektadong lugar.

Sa gayon, kinakailangan ang quarantine at napakahalaga ng farm equipment hygiene.

Sinabi ni Dr. Emily Fabregar, tagapangulo ng technical committee ng PBGEA “at present, there are no hard and fast rules on how to manage FW. Although PBGEA is now undergoing an experimentation project called Fusarium Wilt Focus Group (FWFG) that hopes to develop an integrated disease management program for FW of Cavendish banana, it would take some time yet until the study could yield conclusive results.”

Inirekomenda ni Fabregar na “after detection, exclusion and containment must be the first line of defense. Quarantine procedures must always be in place and should be reviewed regularly.”

Dagdag pa niya: “All banana growers, whether with or without contracts with big companies and cooperatives, must be educated about Panama disease starting from identification, isolation, quarantine methods and procedures and proper eradication.”

Sa kanyang bahagi, ipinayo ni Dr. Gina Escuadra of Dole-Stanfilco sa mga government agriculturists na mahigpit na ipatupad ang rice hull burning method o pagsunog 14

Advocating science-based agriculture

ng ipa ng palay upang mapuksa ang fungi.

Ang pagsunog ay dapat na patuloy upang patuloy din ang paginit hanggang sa abutin ang spores.

Napuna din ni Escuadra na ang mga abandonadong sakahan ay nagbabadya ng panganib sa mga kalapit na plantasyon.

Iminungkahi ni Dr. Benny Corcolon ng Tagum Development Corp.

(Tadeco) sa pamahalaan na alamin ang incidence level o status ng inpestasyon sa mga plantasyon ng mga nagtatanim na walang tie-ups nang sa gayon ang mga nararapat at cost-effective na mga hakbang ay maisagawa.

Sinabi naman ni Davao del Norte provincial agriculturist Dominador Encarnacion Jr. na isang technical working group ang binuo kamakailang upang tuguna ang suliranin sa FW. He emphasized the need for collaboration and acknowledged the limited capability of government technicians in managing PD. Ayon pa sa kanya, ang tulong mga PBGEA-member companies na ang mga siyentipiko ay dalubhasa sa mga sakit ng saging, ay kinakailangan.

Aniya, lubos ang kanyang pagkabahala dahil ang peste ay umabot na sa New Corella at Kapalong.

SISIYASATIN n g D e p a r tment of Agriculture ang ginawang pamiminsala ng mabagsik na Fosarium oxy- DA Undersecretaary Joel sporum, mas Rudinas kilala bilang Fusarium Wilt sa mga sagingan sa bansa.

Ito ang nabatid mula kay Agriculture Undersecretary Joel T. Rudinas, na sinabing nais niyang magkaroon ng updates ukol sa pangyayari mula sa Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), ang ahensyang itinalagang mangalaga sa mga produktong agricultural ng bansa mula sa mapaminsalang peste at mga sakit.

Si Rudinas, na namumuno sa field operations ng DA, ay dating pinuno ng BPI. “Dati ay mayroon kaming monitoring at eradication team,” aniya.

“Ang aming kasunduan sa Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) noon ay sila ang mangangalaga sa mga plantasyon at kami ang bahala sa labas,” giit ni Rudinas.

Nabatid naman mula sa iba pang opisyal, ang industriya, na malaki na ang iniunlad mula noong 1960s, dapat na pinangunahan ng ng industriya na makapag-develop ng research arm sa kanilang sarili upang makalinang strains na may pananggalang sa sakit.

Iginiit nila na dapat makibahagi ang isang malakas na banana export industry sa research and development (R&D) at makapag-produce ng ng iban pang produktong may karagdagang value gamit ang saging.

KAPALIGIRUN

Takbo para sa kapaligiran at Bundok Makiling

M

ATAGUMPAY na naidaos ng University of the Philippines-Los Baños UPLB at UPLB Alumni Association (UPLBAA) kamakailan ang KapaligiRUN, isang fun run upang makalikom ng pondo para pangalagaan ang Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR).

Ang MFR, ang kahuli-hulihang natural forest sa biogeographical zone na ito, ay isang 4,244-ektaryang natural tropical rainforest at isang biodiversity hotspot.

Nag-uumapaw ito sa libo-libong plant species, kabilang ang mas maraming woody plant species kaysa sa matatagpuan sa buong Estados Unidos.

Nabatid kay CropLife Executive Director Simeon Cuyson, na siya ding pangulo ng UPLBAA, na ang naturang marathon ay isa lamang sa mga aktibidad ng tatlong araw na pagdiriwang ng ika- 93 Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming na may temang “UPLB Leads Green.”

Ang tema ay sumusuma patuloy

na pagpupunyagi ng UPLB at UPLBAA para sa isang luntiang kapaligiran, na ipinagpupunyagi din ng National Greening Program ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources sa pamumuno ni Secretary Ramon Paje.

Sinimulan ang KapaligiRUN sa makasaysayang Baker Hall ng UPLB patungong Pili Drive, Makiling Botanic Gardens at Magnetic Hill.

Ang CropLife Philippines ay isa sa mga sumuporta sa KapaligiRUN kasama ng interaksyon.com, Philippine Star at Radyo Mindanao Network, ang mga media partners ng nasabing fun run.

Advocatingscience-basedagriculture

15

Harvest NO. 4 NOVEMBER 2011

Advocating science-based agriculture

Abot-kayang ‘farm inputs’ para sa mga magsasaka ni Ian Go

M

AGANDANG BALITA! Sinabi ni Executive Director Norlito Gicana ng Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) na tuluyang ipapatutupad ng Department of Agriculture ang mandato ng FPA na “paabutin sa mga magsasaka at siguruhing abot-kaya nila ang mga farm inputs na kanilang kailangan.”

Ayon kay Gicana ito ay kanilang ipatutupad dahil sa mga ulat na humihingi ng pansamantalang tulong sa FPA ang Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) habang kanilang binubuo ang kanilang sariling mga pamantayan o “guidelines” para sa “organic fertilizers.”

Inilipat ang “organic fertilizers” sa BAFPS mula sa FPA noon lamang Setyembre nitong taong ito. Subalit kakailanganin ding ipalimbag pa ng BAFPS ang mga pamantayan nila bago ito maipatupad. Ang BAFPS as nasa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Director Angelina Bondad.

Dahil dito, ang FPA pa rin muna ang pansamantalang nangangasiwa sa tinatawag na mga “organic fertilizers” hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Ito ay upang di rin maantala ang mga programa ng Department of Agriculture hinggil sa “rice, staples and food self-sufficiency” na masigabong sinusuportahan ng FPA. Tamang Pagsusuri ng abono Ayon kay Gicana, ang pangunahing gamit ng “organic fertilizers” sa kasalukuyan ay sa pagpapaganda ng mga katangiang pisikal ng lupa at pagbahagi ng hanggang 7% ng mga “nutrients” na kailangan ng mga pananim. Mga tradisyonal na abono (inorganic) pa rin ang makapagbibigay ng kabuuang (100%) pangangailangan ng mga pananim tungo sa malagong produksyon o ani.

Dinagdag niya na ang bagong laboratoryo ng FPA ay nasa “full operation” na sa pag-aaral at pagsusuri ng mga abono o “fertilizer”. Sa susunod na taon naman ay mabubuo na ang kapabilidad nito sa pagsuri naman ng mga pestisidyo.

Jose Burgos III

Harvest is a quarterly publication of

CropLife Philippines, Inc. in partnership with the Initiative for Farm Advocacy and Resource Management (IFARM). CropLife headquarters is at Unit 5E MAPFRE Asian Condominium Center, Acacia Avenue, Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1780. Telefax (+632) 772-3992 / (+632) 772-3993 / Cell No. (+63917) 824-3992 / (+63917) 838-3992.

E-mail address: ea_croplife@pldtdsl.net / ed_croplife@pldtdsl.net.

Editorial offices are located at IFARM, 2/F The Advocacy House, 8 Scout Chuatoco St., Roxas District, Quezon City. Telefax (+632) 372-8560. For comments and editorial contributions, email at info@ safepinoy.com. You may also visit our website www.safepinoy.com.

Simeon Cuyson, publisher Joel C. Paredes Cris T. Michelena, editors Jason B. Valenzuela, art director Ian Go, editorial coordinator and deskman Beth Jazildo, business coordinator Riva Balicano, editorial assistant

‘Open policy’ Idiniin din ni Gicana ang kasalukuyang “open policy” ng FPA sa mga legal na importer at manufacturer ukol sa pagpasok at pamamahagi ng mga aprubadong abono at pestisidyo sa bayan.

Dahil dito, higit na marami nang mga supplier nitong mga “farm inputs” ang nasa ilalim ng masusing pamamahala ng FPA. Ibinahagi ni Gicana ang iba pang programa ng DA na susuporta sa mithing “food self-sufficiency program” ni Kalihim Proceso Alcala.

Ito ay ang pagpapaigting ng suporta ng National Irrigation Authority (NIA) sa pagpapalawak ng mga patubigan, ang pagbuhay sa Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation na muling mag-aalok ng seguro sa mga sakahan upang maibsan ang matinding paghihirap dulot ng mag bagyo at iba pang salot at , ang pagtuon ng National Food Authority sa “support prices” para sa ani naman ng mga lokal na magsasaka ng palay.