UPLB Research and Extension News

The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) Southeast Asia Program has recently released a new “Nutrient Expert for Hybrid Maize” software—a computer-based decision support tool which can assist people in easily formulating fertilizer guidelines for tropical hybrid corn based on the principles of site-specific nutrient management (SSNM).

SSNM is a fertilization strategy that enables crops to have nutrients applied to them at optimal rates and time leading to high yield and efficient use of nutrients by the crop. The software was developed by IPNI using data from extensive research activities in many sites in Southeast Asia.

In the Philippines, IPNI has established research collaboration with UPLB through the UPLB SSNM-Maize project. The project team is composed of Dr. Romeo V. Labios, Dr. Apolonio M. Ocampo, Ms. Jocelyn D. Labios, and Dr. Cynthia M. Medina, who are researchers from the Agricultural Systems Cluster and Crop Science Cluster of the College of Agriculture.

Genetic engineering can make possible a number of improved crop varieties with high yield potential and resistance against pests.

One of the most extensively-studied crops using genetic engineering techniques today is maize, owing to its significant contribution to food security and nutrition.

Although a lot of science probes had been done to give maize superior characteristics, engineering improved maize genotypes would still rely on an efficient plant tissue culture regeneration and transformation system.

MANILA, Philippines – The Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) has named a hybrid of Hibiscus rosasinensis (gumamela) after Dr. Solita Camara-Besa, the first Filipina to specialize in biological chemistry.

Hibiscus rosa sinensis “Solita Camara-Besa” is the 35th honoree of the Hibiscus Hybrid Women of Science Series since the IPB began the project on hibiscus breeding in December 1994.

The project was aimed at developing hibiscus hybrids with “stunning” flower colors and appearance, improve the native cultivars, and develop new varieties with varied colors and appearance.

Fruit Crops Postharvest Research Team of CA-CSC: 2009 Outstanding Research Team

Blemish-free. Perfectly sized. Firm, even-colored, and even-textured flesh. Evidently safe to eat. These are just some characteristics of fruits that make it to grocery shelves around the globe, with the potential to generate income for our farmers and beef up our exports. But even as the country produces an overabundance of fruits, until lately, it has not been able to capitalize much on this natural resource for a host of reasons, among which is their limited postharvest life.

Fruit postharvest losses in the Philippines can run up to an average of 28 percent, occurring during harvest, packing, transport, displaying, and even during consumption. Postharvest losses are caused by mishandling, poor storage, inefficiency in the distribution system, and pest and disease damage. Exacerbating the losses caused by factors inherent in the fruits and in our climate are poor infrastructure, transport limitations, the archipelagic nature of our country, and lack of technology.  

But much has been done in the latter area in the recent past. In UPLB, the Fruit Crops Postharvest Research Team of the Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture has contributed in great measure to push the frontiers of postharvest technology. The Team has been conducting basic and applied research toward industry-focused and needs-based technology development to address food safety and quality concerns in the export and domestic markets.