Palagay

SCITECH:2011

Posted on June 5th By estrella z gallardo

Tissue cultured strawberry for better planting materials

Strawberry planting materials imported from Japan or the United States are studied and evaluated in the nursery and once found to posses the desired qualities, runners are taken from the plants and used for tissue culture to produce clean tissue cultured strawberry planting materials.

This process has given strawberry production a new lease of Life. Now in its second year, the production and distribution system for clean planting materials for strawberry did not only lessen the incidence of pest most especially mites and other diseases, but also improved yield.

A plant produced from tissue cultured mother plants could produce about 400 grams of fruits per plant compared to a non-tissue cultured plant which could only produce about 200 grams.

According to Ms. Joan B. Bacbac, Agriculturist II of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit-Cordillera Administrative Region, in the past, planting materials in La Trinidad were obtained from fellow strawberry farmers which are usually of different varieties gathered from a plot since there was no uniform variety planted in a plot that time.

This prompted the Department of Agriculture Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) and the local government unit of La Trinidad to collaborate on the production of clean planting materials through tissue culture to do away with the gathering of different varieties of planting materials on a plot in a swamp area.

Bacbac said that in the tissue culture with the use of microscope, they would get the tip of the runner or meristem and plant them in test tubes. After a month the runners are cut and transferred into new bottles.

The use of clean tissue cultured planting materials eliminated defective farming practice of using mother plants as planting materials to bear berries instead of runners.

It also developed a better interaction among farmers since the DA-CAR would only sell planting materials to association of growers, unlike before when any grower could directly buy from DA-CAR.

PhilMech encourages farmer coops to acquire multi-pass rice mills

Surveys and field studies conducted by Philippine Center Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) show that rice mills in the rural areas in the Philippines using single pass mills where the recovery rate from unpolished rice (palay) is from 50% to 57% only.

PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo C. Cachuela said that PhilMech will make qualified farmer cooperatives major partners in modernizing the rice mill recovery in the country under the Department of Agriculture Mechanization and Postharvest Program for Rice (2011 to 20160), which is being finalized.

Under the program qualified cooperatives that are engaged in rice farming will be given financing support to take ownership of their own rice mills which will be more efficient than most that are currently operated by rice millers and some farmer cooperatives, he said.

Cachuela also said that mills using the multi-pass technology with recovery rate from 65% to 70% will be made available to qualified farmer cooperatives. “Recovering an additional 8% to 13% from milling operations alone will contribute significantly to the supply of rice in the Philippines if many farmer cooperatives are able to operate the multi-pass rice mill, Cochuela stressed.

The Department of Agriculture, under the program will provide a grant equivalent to 75% of the cost of the multi-pass rice mill of P4 million and the qualified farmer cooperatives will shoulder the remaining 25% with loan and capital outlay.

Farmer cooperatives that are registered with the Cooperative Development Authority and willing to shoulder preconstruction expenses like land filling, compacting and clearing, among others can take part in the program, Cacheula said.

Cachuela is optimistic that many farmer cooperatives can avail of the program, since they are already profitably operating and ready to provide their own counterpart funds.

Bill on National Health Research System approved

AGHAM Party List Rep. Angelo B. Palmones commends the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives for its fast action and approval of the Bill titled “ An Act Institutionalizing the Philippine National Health Research System, Establishing the Philippine National Health Research Fund Providing for its Administration and for other purposes.”

The approved substitute bill by the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives chaired by Rep. Alfredo D. Maranon III aims to improve the health status and quality of life of Filipinos by ensuring that health research is linked to the health system needs and that investments in health research yield the most benefit.

The bill that was a consolidation of the four bills authored by Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Joseph Emilio Abaya, Angelo Palmones and Lani Mercado-Revilla features the creation of the Philippine National Health Research Fund to support knowledge management and knowledge translation into efficient and effective health policies and service delivery.

Rep. Palmones, in the deliveration of the Bill said that the medicine needed to combat HIV which comes from coconut is being developed in the country, however, because of lack of funds there is no consolidated effort to push the endeavor.

Leading government agencies to implement the bill include the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), University of the Philippines-National Institute for Health (UP-NIH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), National Nutrition Council (NNC), and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

Dr. Jaime Montoya, PCHRD executive director said that the bill will address the support needed by his office in developing new drugs, herbal and traditional medicine technology for the prevention of dengue and other diseases.

Rep. Palmones seeks the swift passage of the PNHRS bill because it does not only benefit researchers in knowing what health care needs should be addressed, but it also gives a feeling of security to the Filipino public that their health is protected from diseases common in tropical countries. (PSciJourn MegaManila)

MFI Scholars’ Day

Molding Future Innovators, MFI Technological Institute, formerly Meralco Foundation Institute will honor 568 students during its 29^th Scholars’ Day on June 24, 2011 at the MFI Gym at MFI Bldg., Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.

Of the 564 students who passed the requirements at the MFI Technological Institute, 245 passed for the 1^st year in the Industrial Program (TIP) and Information Technology (IT); 179 for 2^nd year and 202 for the 3^rd year.

Coinciding with the MFI Scholars’ Day is the school’s recognition day to students who excelled during the last school year, to whom medals will be awarded.

At 2:00 P.M. after the celebration of the holy mass the awarding of medals to honor students will follow.

MFI students spend several months of in-plant training or hands-on training from the institute to the real workplace in accordance with the requirements of the industry to allow students to acquire accurate knowledge of what is expected of them on the job.

In doing so, MFI students, aside from the usual knowledge and skills learned from the institute, developed adaptability in various working conditions, that helps them become more productive.

As a result, as experienced by the institute, MFI scholars usually get employed even before they graduate.

The courses offered include electrical, electronic and instrumentation technologies, IT (computer studies), 2-year DTS (Dual Training System).

The three-year scholarship grant qualifies the student for free tuition, free books, laboratory materials, uniforms, calculators and supplies.

MFI Foundation, Inc. was established in November 6, 1973 under the name MERALCO Foundation, Inc. and was registered as a granting foundation with the National Development Board in 1975. MFI partnership with Rizal Technological College (RTC) and the sponsoring of the scholars in the said schools as MFI scholars was among the MFI acts of service. It also grants scholarship to students pursuing non-degree industrial courses at Manila Technical Institute and Don Bosco Institute.

In 1983, MFI evolved into an operating foundation from a granting foundation. Through its various centers, specializing in specific areas of manpower development, it reached out to a greater number of beneficiaries all over the country.

In the same year, one of its centers, the Meralco Foundation Institute, now the MFI Technological Institute was established. MFI around the same year established projects in Jala-jala, Rizal, dedicated to develop and promote low-cost practical and viable agriculture and agriculture technologies.

In 1992, MFI became completely independent from Meralco and the government. It ceased to be a holding company and became a private science foundation.

Today MFI continues to serve through the MFI Technological Institute and the MFI Farm Business Institute. These two institution, though different in nature, are two arms the organization is extending to build a stronger nation. (PSciJourn MegaManila).

NAST conducts Roundtable Discussion on Agricultural Extension, e-Information, Communication and Statistics

The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Philippines, the highest advisory body on issues concerning science and technology, conducted a roundtable discussion (RTD) focusing on agricultural extension on 03 May 2011 at the Traders Hotel, Pasay City.

Asterio Saliot, Director of the Agricultural Training Institute talked on the current status and challenges of agricultural extension in the Philippines. Dr. Agnes Rola, Dean of the College of Public Affairs (CPAF), University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB), discussed the role of universities and colleges in making the agricultural extension system more effective and efficient. Dr. Patricio Faylon, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), shared the experience of his agency in the delivery of technology to the people through their Techno Gabay program. Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc, General Manager of the East-West Seed Company, shared success stories of private sector-led extension service. Dr. Segfredo Serrano, Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), gave some updates on the initiatives of the government in e-information, communication and statistics in relation to agricultural extension development. Dr. Virginia Cardenas, Vice-Chancellor for Community Affairs, UPLB, talked about professionalizing the extension service in the country.

Each topic after the presentation was followed by a discussion led by the personalities assigned to each topic in the persons of: Ms. Jesusa Noveda, President, Municipal Agriculture Office Association of the Philippines; Ms. Norma Lagmay, Provincial Agriculture Office, Ilocos Norte; Dr. Eliseo Ponce, Technical Adviser, Agricultural Training institute; Dr. Eduardo C. Sison, Chairman, MADECOR; Atty. Ronilo Beronio, Technical Assistant to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture; Dr. Zosimo . Battad, Chancellor, University of the East, Caloocan, followed by synthesis given by Dr. Marlowe Aquino, Visiting Social Scientist, Philippine Carabao Center

Participants from DA field offices, private corporations, non-government organizations, academe, and other key stakeholders were invited.

This RTD is part of the series of activities leading to the conduct of the 33^rd Annual Scientific Meeting on July 2011 spearheaded by the NAST Agricultural Science Division (ASD).

Southeast Asia’s Rich Biodiversity Endangered

The ASEAN Region, known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations occupies only three percent of earth’s surface, yet is one of the most important areas for global terrestrial and marine biodiversity, because it contains the natural habitats of up to 40 percent of all species on earth. It has one-third translating to 284,000 square kilometers of all coral reefs which are among the most diverse in the world.

It has three-mega-diversity countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines and several unique bio-geographical units such as Indo-Burma, Malesia, Sundaland, Wallacea, and the Central Indo-Pacific. The biodiversity of the ASEAN Region is critically important to the sustainability of the environment because of the diversity of its high species and its being endemic.

Southeast Asia has a total land area of 447 million hectares, 45 percent is covered with forests and woodlands, Indonesia with 1,891,000 sq.km is the largest land area, next in Myanmar with 677,000 sq.km, followed with Thailand with 513,000 sq.km and fourth are of similar size, Malaysia (330,000 sq.km.), Viet-Nam (330,000 sq.km.), and Philippines (300,000 sq.km.). Next are Lao POR (237,000 sq.km.), Cambodia (181,000 sq.km.), Brunei Darussalam (5,800 sq.km.), and Singapore

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