MANILA, Jan. 28 — A student from University of the Philippines Los Banos has developed a cost effective waste water treatment that could solve the perennial problems of leather tanneries in Bulacan.

“To provide an option for local tanneries, this research aimed to determine the technical feasibility of sodium sulfite reduction and sodium hydroxide precipitation as the end-of-pipe treatment for the removal of chromium from typical tannery wastewater,” Maria Ivy dela Cruz, a fifth year chemical engineering student of the UPLB said.

Dela Cruz’ 131-page award-winning research seeks to end the search for a cost effective wastewater treatment method for tanneries in the Philippines.

The use of herbicide has been found by a group of scientists to prevent soil erosion, preserve soil structure and ensure the replenishment of its fertility.

A research team, headed by Gil Magsino of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, said one way of controlling soil erosion is through the use of agricultural technology to conserve soil health and prevent its erosion, especially during storms and floods.

“Soil is the most important element of human existence, for it is where agriculture is based. It is a well-known fact that degraded land or sloping areas are more prone to flooding.  Eroded soils pollute the environment,” Magsino said.

Magsino made the remarks as the scientific panel reported the results of the fourth year of the five-year study entitled “Sagip-Lupa: Soil Conservation Technology and Weed Management.”

La Trinidad, Benguet (23 January) -- As the problem of climate change worsens, agriculturists and experts are working very hard to keep up with the challenges this phenomenon may pose to food supply.

University of the Philippines – Los Banos Soil Conservation Technology and Weed Management research team head Dr. Gil Magsino said that several agriculturists and scientists are developing new breed of seeds that can withstand climate change.

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) has confirmed the viability of several varieties of peanuts from the India-based International Crop Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

BAR said the potential peanut breeding lines were identified through the project “Field Testing of ICRISAT Legume Varieties and Technologies in Selected Regions in the Philippines.”

These legume varieties were found to be capable of adapting to Philippine climatic conditions and could be developed and propagated commercially.

The five peanut germplasms and breeding lines or selections confirmed to be suitable under local conditions were UPLB Pn 10, NSIC Pn 11 and Pn 14 or the Namnamas, NSIC Pn 12 or Ilocos Pink and recently the Asha peanut or NSIC Pn 15.