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Congratulations! Recipients of NRCP, CSSP and NDAP awards. (See p.

2)
Official Community Newspaper of UP Los Baos Volume 9, No. 01

January-March 07

January-March 2007

DAs Yap is speaker at UPLB graduation rites


Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap will speak before over 1,700 graduating students, including those finishing with masters and doctoral degrees, at UPLBs 35 th commencement exercises at the UPLB Freedom Park on April 28. This years graduating class includes 151 honor graduates: 2 summa cum laude, 11 magna cum laude and 138 cum laude. A separate hooding ceremony for the doctoral graduates will be held evening of the 27th. Yap, a lawyer by profession, is on the sixth month of his second term as secretary of agriculture. His battle cry for Philippine agriculture is to ensure the profitability of farmers and fisherfolk while making food plentiful at affordable prices for every Filipino. Food sustainability also figures high in UPLBs considerations for its priority research areas, which the current administration of Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco has named as agriculture, biotechnology and environment. Secretary Yap will expound on the current status of agriculture and share his insights on how the allied sciences figure in the nations aspirations. His keynote speech will be an opportunity for him to imprint the face of Philippine agriculture onto the new graduates and arm them with the proper disposition as they integrate themselves into our industries and begin making themselves part of nation building. The countrys premier school for agriculture and the allied sciences maintains a partnership with the Department of Agriculture through various joint programs and activities. Many of UPLBs top scientists and researchers have served as leaders in the DAs commodity research networks and some have, at one time or another, been members of the secretarys technical advisory group (STAG). Secretary Yap was educated at some of the best schools in the country. He finished elementary and high school with honors at Xavier School and was an exemplary student of the AB Honors Degree in Management and Economics at Ateneo de Manila University, where he also later took up Bachelor of Laws. Before he became secretary of agriculture, Yap served as undersecretary for Luzon operations at the Department of Agriculture, administrator of the National Food Authority, president and CEO of the Philippine International Trading Corporation, and national president of the Philippine Association of Paint Manufacturers. Arthur is a co-founding partner of the Yap Jacinto Jacob Law Office. He was also an associate at the Azcuna, Yorac, Sarmiento, Arroyo, and Chua Law Offices and was an intern at the Balane, Barican, Cruz, and Alampay Law Offices. After his first stint as agriculture secretary, he became director-general of the Presidential Management Staff and was appointed Presidential Adviser for Job Creation, a post he holds until now. (MLJBaroa-Cruz)

LB community gets to know functional foods


Over 150 UPLB personnel, college and high school students, rural health workers and representatives from institutions under the Los Baos Science Community participated in the symposiumexhibit Functional Foods: Balik-tuklas sa mga Pagkaing Pangkalusugan on March 2. Functional foods are processed foods containing nutritious ingredients that aid specific body functions The activity was sponsored by the Committee on Natural Products RDE and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension at the NCAS Annex (Old Chemistry) building. According to Dr. Evelyn Rodriguez, Professor 2 at the Institute of Chemistry, traditional and underutilized fruits and vegetables

Stakeholders form Makiling advisory body


SEARCA Executive Director Arsenio Bound by the common goal of Balisacan; Los Baos LGU Hon. watershed conservation, stakeholders Caesar Perez; Calamba City LGU of the Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) Hon. Joaquin Chipeco; Bay LGU have come together to form the Hon. Bruno Ramos; and UPLB Makiling Watershed Coordinating and Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco. Advisory Council through a According to Dr. Portia Lapitan, memorandum of agreement (MOA) director of the Makiling Center for which they signed on Feb. 27 in simple Mountain Ecosystems (MCME), the ceremonies at the Makiling Botanic Garden. see Stakeholders on p. 5... The stakeholders consist of institutions and local government units represented at the MOA signing by their respective heads: Laguna LGU - Hon. Teresita Lazaro; IRRI Deputy Director General William Padolina; Calamba Water District Engr. Alberto Cervancia; Laguna Water District Engr. Pantaleon Tabanao; Laguna Lake Development Authority General Manager Heads of stakeholder LGUs and institutions sign the MOA on the Makiling Casimiro Ynares III; Watershed Coordinating and Advisory Council at the MBG on Feb. 27.

offer great options for addressing food security. She cited cruciferous vegetables, oats, tomato, soybean, citrus and tea as food items that can give the body a wide range of nutrients/phytochemicals. The guest speaker, Dr. Liwayway Engle, presented research results on indigenous vegetables such as malunggay and see LB community on p. 5..

ICS is COE in IT education


The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized the Institute of Computer Science as a Center of Excellence in Information Technology Education in ceremonies held on March 23 at the the CHED headquarters in Pasay City. ICS was recognized for having accomplished in an outstanding manner its academic duties to the benefit of stakeholders and the community, and for demonstrating exemplary performance in teaching, research and extension. It was also cited for providing institutional leadership in all aspects of development in information technology and thus, helping ensure the accelerated development of higher education institutions in the country. ICS is headed by a director, Prof. Concepcion Khan. It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in computer science and information technology and has more than 30 faculty members.

Alumni, friends provide tips on revitalizing R&E


A group of UPLB alumni who were among the architects of the UPCA 1st Five-Year Development Program and friends from the World Bank (WB) shared their insights on research systems establishment with UPLB officials at a discussion on Feb. 26. The group was composed of Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing and Dr. see R&E on p. 5....

Dr. Thomas Allen, former director of the World BankPhilippines and Dr. Dely Gapasin, WB consultant and former PCARRD executive director

Everyday People Everyday People *


January-March 07

Pushing for a makeover of the heart


for the biological sciences. Nelson, now Associate Professor 3, was cited for his exemplary teaching performance as manifested in his mastery of the subject matter, effective use of appropriate teaching materials, effective communication and delivery, and his ability to incorporate environmental biology into the courses that he taught. But it is not so much the award that matters to him but its recognition of his efforts to develop in students an awareness and concern for the environment. Iba yung nakikita mo na may pagbabago sa kanila. Hindi lang yung napupulot nila sa klase ang alam nila, kundi pati yung moral part. If they will not have a heart to help protect the environment as they have learned in class, my efforts will have been useless. To accomplish this makeover of the heart, Nelson incorporates values in the teaching of his courses. Seeing that he is able to impart valuable lessons to his students is enough to sustain him in his profession. He emphasizes more than theory, the responsibilities that students have as citizens and the important part they have in nation building. He recognizes that teaching and molding students into discerning and responsible individuals is his own contribution to nation building. Nelson uses experiential learning as he thinks it is the best way to impart knowledge. He does not confine his students to the four walls of the classroom but takes them to different ecosystems in the country like forests in Northern Luzon and mountains in Southern Tagalog and Southern Mindanao. In this way, he is able to engage them in practical activities and allow them to have better appreciation of their learnings. He tries to open his students minds to their potentials and ability to study solutions to environmental problems through research, and finds opportunities for them to present their results in scientific gatherings. It is not only in these spheres that he reaches out to his students; he often hangs out with them for the opportunity to interact with them. Graduation is not the end of his concern for his students. Nelson helps his students find jobs and is always happy to make a recommendation for those who want to pursue further studies. He finds satisfaction in the knowledge that he is a part of every CFNR graduate, and more so for every graduate who took to heart his teachings on applying the knowledge they learned in environmental conservation. Nelsons dedication to his craft is strengthened not only by his conscious effort to be a complete teacher but to be a true mentor to his students. (DIS
Cruz)

Dr. Nelson Pampolina was a research assistant at the BIOTECH when he responded to a calling to be a teacher. He took an instructor position at the Department of Forest Biological Sciences at the CFNR in 1989 and has not looked back since then. The wisdom in his choice was recently affirmed when he received the UPLB 2007 Outstanding Teacher Award

A researcher and lifelong learner


Dr. Damasa Magcale-Macandogs professional and personal accomplishments is a cake everybody would like to have a slice of. However, not everyone has the stamina, dedication and passion for excellence that Demi makes sure always marks her work and outputs. Despite her successes, Demi pushes on for she is of the mold who believe that continuous feeding of the mind is a way of life. This is what fuels her passion for discovery and her love for research. You dont stop with what you know, she says. Indeed, through the years, she has not stopped and has further expanded her knowledge and horizons. For more than 20 years now, she has studied bioinformatics, ecological modeling, bio-economic modeling, and bio-ecological modeling of upland systems - researches that were supported and funded by different international research organizations. Gusto ko laging nasa forefront ng new technologies. I am always hungry for new fields, new areas to learn. Her desire for knowledge and the developments in her field of science inspire her. It gives me a feeling of contentment when, as I turn in for the night and review the days accomplishments, I know that I have gained new knowledge. Demis recent Outstanding Researcher Award is a testimony to her hard work and dedication. She was recognized for her contributions to agriculture and forestry through ecoinformatics research on the sustainable management of natural resources and the environment; development of cutting-edge technology for agroforestry that was successfully adopted in Southern Philippines; assistance in improving the smallholders lot in Imperata grassland areas; and estimates of the biomass of secondary forests in Southeast Asia. Demi conducts research alongside her equally demanding teaching responsibilities as an associate professor at the Environmental Biology Division of the Institute of Biological Sciences. Her colleagues say that she would often work long into the night and would go to Batangas in between her classes to take care of research work. To her, both areas are equal in importance because her research work provides inputs that would help her effectively impart knowledge to her students. Notwithstanding a professional life that takes up much of her time, she is a hands-on mother and a devoted wife who still finds time for house chores. She makes sure to spend quality time with her family who is very supportive of what she does. Demi finished BS in Agriculture (soil science) and Masters in Soil Fertility (minor in Plant Ecology) at UPLB, and a PhD in Botany at the University of New

England, Armidale in New South Wales, Australia. Her research work has brought her to various universities and research institutions here and abroad. She has shown that, to get a slice of the cake, one just needs to be focused on ones goals. Pag mahirap, tiyaga lang, Demi says. Everyday, see to it that you have one small thing that you accomplish, because it will just accumulate through the years. (DIS Cruz)

The ultimate chamPIOn


with his roots. The oldest boy in a tenant family of 11 children in Nagcarlan, Laguna, Pio was his fathers foremost helper in the farm. Thus, he was exposed early in life to backbreaking farm work and the sorry plight of farmers. This motivated him to study in UPLB where he knew he could learn ways to help uplift the farmers lives. He graduated with a BS in Agriculture (major in entomology) in 1975, MS in Entomology in 1981 and PhD in Entomology in 1989 in UPLB, and is now a Research Associate Professor of the CA Crop Protection Cluster. He credits his success not only to his supportive family but also to Dr. Belen Morallo-Rejesus, his mentor, immediate supervisor and adviser. It was Dr. Rejesus who helped him begin his career in UPLB as her research assistant. He helped her find solutions to entomological problems in sorghum, corn, stored product pests, legumes, coffee and watermelon; and on the use of botanical insecticides against agricultural pests. In 1987, he was given a chance to work as study leader in Dr. Rejesus USAID/Israel project on parasitoids of citrus scale insects, then at the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center in Taiwan on IPM in crucifers. His extension work began when he taught farmers pest management strategies for rice, corn and vegetable production at the Agricultural Training Institute. In the early 90s, he was designated as coordinator of the NCPCs Training on Sustainable Agriculture in rice for Infanta, Quezon and later in General Nakar, Quezon. Since then he had been all over the Philippines to share knowledge products to marginalized farmers. Thus far, he considers his work on the production of earwigs as bio-control agent for the Asian corn borer as his most important contribution to agriculture. He is part of the group that trained farmers and DA technicians from the regional field units and the regional crop protection centers in 2001. NCPC gave him the Extension Award in 1994 and 1996 and the Outstanding Senior Researcher Award in 2001. He is a member of the NCPC team which won the Extension Team Award in 2000 and 2003. In 2004, he received the Pest Management Award in Research from the Pest Management Council of the Philippines. Again, through his mentors help, he was able to publish his research results in refereed journals. He, however, believes that important breakthroughs from research results should not only be reported in publications but should reach the farmers who really need them. Pios work in research and extension made him realize that one is difficult to do without the other. He says that for an extensionist to effectively transfer technologies, he or she should first and foremost be a researcher. I gained a lot from extension work. It helped develop my interpersonal communication skills and imbued in me patience and humility. I derive immense satisfaction from seeing technologies that work beyond the laboratory and help improve the lives of farmers, he says. (EBV Bernardo)

Dr. Pio A. Javier describes himself as a farmer who uses the scientific method, a researcher who refuses to keep to his ivory tower, a teacher who continuously learns, and an extensionist who applies and tests technologies first in his farm. He is a champion! The University recognized this when it accorded to Dr. Pio A. Javier the 2007 Outstanding Extensionist Award. Pios dedication to his work shows that despite his success, he is in touch
* Featured

Everyday

People are personnel and research/extension teams who/that were recognized for having rendered outstanding and exemplary service to the University and the people.

January-March 07

The AKECOP Team:


fueled by a common motivation and common passion
In the 15-year history of the UPLB Outstanding Research Team Award, only eight have been privileged to receive it and all except one were CA research programs. The last time it was given was in 2003. Finally, after the long dry spell, the highly exclusive award was given to CFNRs ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Project (AKECOP)- Philippines Regional Research Team. AKECOP- Phils aims to contribute to the sustainable and equitable forest management and rehabilitation of degraded areas in tropical forest ecosystems of member countries of the ASEAN. AKECOP is a pioneering partnership between the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN to help reverse the trend of continued forest loss and degradation through action research projects, capacity building initiatives and information exchange. Its main proponent and project leader is Dr. Don Koo Lee, a professor of silviculture and forest restoration ecology at Seoul National University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (SNU CALS). The AKECOP coordinator for the Philippines is Dr. Lucrecio L. Rebugio, a social forestry expert and a former CFNR dean. AKECOP-Phils uses an integrative and multi-disciplinary approach in its research on the following components: resource and impact assessment; information system development; technology development and biodiversity conservation; and management and impact assessment. The approach is integrative, multi-disciplinary and promotes creative research collaboration among Filipino scientists and researchers and between Filipino scientists and their Korean counterpart. Other unique features are its use of a community-based approach and of basic research as a more practical strategy in dealing with complex forest restoration problems and issues. The teams research outputs include the following: a list of tree species appropriate for watershed restoration; valuation studies that proved the willingness of Manila residents to pay for the cost of watershed management; GIS Restoration Map of the Philippines; the reference book, Forest Restoration in the Philippines: A Review of Research and Development Initiatives; the publicity book, Fostering Environmental Cooperation for Tropical Forest Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation in Southeast Asia; and articles published in refereed scientific journals and technical papers. AKECOP-Phils. also published two books in collaboration with their Korean counterparts: Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mt. Makiling and GIS in the Philippines:

Principles and Applications in Forestry and Natural Resources. Dr. Rebugio further said that the team has set the groundwork for the development of the Mt. Makiling Biodiversity Decision Support System which includes a GIS database of Mt. Makiling. According to him, this will enable the University to undertake approaches to better manage such an excellent forest. The team is composed of 14 people who gave their unstinting support to the project despite a meager budget that did not allow them to hire full-time research staff and pay regular honoraria for all the scientists and researchers. The members of the team are: Dr. Leni D. Camacho, a resource economist, who also serves as the assistant coordinator; Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz, watershed management specialist; Dr. Wilfrido M. Carandang, silviculturist; Dr. Enrique L. Tolentino, Jr., ecophysiologist; Dr.

Loretto U. dela Cruz, soil scientist; Dr. Roberto G. Visco, agroforestry specialist; Dr. Rodel Lasco, agroforestry and environmental scientist; Dr. Florencia D.Pulhin, environmental scientist; Dr. Edwino S. Fernando, plant taxonomist; Dr. Nataniel C. Bantayan, geographic information systems specialist; Dr. Emmanuel R.G. Abraham, forest management specialist; Dr. Margaret M. Calderon, resource economist; and Dr. Josefina T. Dizon, community development specialist. Ms. Rosario B. Bantayan and Ms. Maria Luz P. Cereno provide communication support and administrative support, respectively. When talking about selflessness and true service, the AKECOP-Philippines is its epitome. This and their accomplishments in sustainable forest management have raised the bar for the Outstanding Research Team Award even higher. (AP Dominguita)

VPAD: transforming agrarian reform communities


How do we know that an organization claiming to help people improve their lives is authentic and sincere? Those that have existed for some time now may let the fruits of their labor speak for them. For the DAR-ARISP II Volunteerism Project for Agricultural Development in Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), or simply, the VPAD program team, the fruits of their labor are abundant. VPAD is a collaborative undertaking of the Crop Protection Cluster and the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod. Since 1994, the program has reached out to more than 3,000 ARCs nationwide and established less than 300 learning fields. This huge contribution to extension in the country won for the program UPLBs Outstanding Extension Program Award for 2007. The VPAD has been a partner of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in helping farmers improve crop productivity and enhance farmers access, ownership and control over the technologies and resources in ARCs throughout the country. DAR funds trainings programs for ARC farmers while the volunteers conduct the training and provide technical assistance. According to Mr. Glenn R. Quidsayan of DARBay, Laguna, the agency entrusts the mission of training ARC farmers to VPAD because the volunteers have remained true to their mission. The backbone of the VPAD program are the volunteers whose mission is to provide leadership in undertaking sustainable programs for rural communities. The volunteers are UPLB scientists, researchers, extensionists and alumni who train ARC farmers on technologies which they can adopt or modify according to their needs. Armed with technological innovations developed at UPLB, the volunteers go where the call of duty beckons, braving floods, typhoons, inhospitable roads, and sometimes even hostile people. When the farmers are already experts in using the technology, the volunteers teach them to form cooperatives. The program uses the Sustainable Agriculture Participatory Research Extension Model or SAPREM as its framework. According to Dr. Jose R. Medina, director of the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungod and program leader of

the VPAD, SAPREM takes off from the philosophy that human development, through continuing adult education and values enhancement, will empower and improve peoples lives. Mang Donato Aquino, a honeydew melon farmer is among those who have developed respect for the volunteers. He credits the program for helping him earn an income of at least P40,000/1,000

sqm/season. Mr. Benjamin Villanueva, a farmer from Victoria, Laguna says, Kung hindi dahil sa pagtitiyaga nila, hindi kami uunlad. Nakakatuwang isipin na ang mga propesyunal ng UPLB ay may pagpapahalaga sa mga tulad naming magsasaka. More than the award, it is the idea of helping people improve their lives that gives the VPAD team honor and pride. (JAA Oruga)

The UPLB Horizon is issued quarterly and features news, feature articles, research and extension updates, literary pieces, announcements on scholarships, fellowships, trainings, grants, seminars/ lectures/workshop, call for awards, cultural presentations and events or information of general interest to the UPLB community. Please send your contributions to OPR, e-mail: opaa_uplb@yahoo.com and fax # (049) 536-3604.

Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Ma. Stella C. Tirol Issue Editors: Ma. Leah J. Baroa-Cruz, Josephine M. Bo Writers: Ma. Leah J. Baroa-Cruz, Eisen Bernard V. Bernardo, Josephine M. Bo, Aladdin P. Dominguita, Jo Ann A. Oruga Contributors Perrose L. Comendador, Dianne Ifchelle S. Cruz, Contributors: Imelda V. Garcia, Florante A. Cruz, Imelda M. Gesmundo, Apolinario R. Lantican, Ricarda B. Villar Layout: Circulation Circulation: Mariss D. Borromeo, Abel B. Palivino Artist Artist: Layout Ray Angelo P. Nasino Nicetas C. Araguas Photographers Nick C. Araguas, Florante A. Cruz Photographers:

Research Updates
January-March 07

Solution to antibiotic resistance may be in natural products


local plants as sources of medicinal compounds has found that lanzones (Lansium domesticum), specifically its peel, is a potential source of antimicrobial substance that can slow down, if not prevent, the growth of MRSA. Dr. Marfori was able to isolate the compound from the peel and test its antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. Sourcing of the lanzones peel compound, however, poses a problem since the fruit is available only from September to October, and only in some provinces such as Laguna, Batangas and Camiguin. But Dr. Marforis team had a solution for this tissue or callus culture. The team started to culture lanzones in the lab and is now confirming whether the desired compound can be produced by the callus, a mass of cells that develops from the cut surface of the plant when placed in a nutrient medium with appropriate growth regulators. With positive results, BIOTECH would be able to produce the compound year round. While waiting for the results, the team is on the lookout for other antimicrobial agents from local natural sources. Another research project aims to isolate antimicrobial compounds from indigenous microbes such as actinomycetes. Actinomycetes are bacteria that are widely distributed in soil, compost and in lake mud. Actinomycetes have long been known as the greatest source of antibiotics. Moreover, actinomycetes produce other substances such as antiviral compounds and antitumor substances like actinomycin. Ms. Zulaybar spearheads the project on antibiotic-producing actinomycetes. Her team has selected three isolates and is now determining their antibiotic activity against several MRSA strains. Test results showed that actinomycetes can produce antimicrobial compounds that inhibit the growth of S. aureus. These results may provide a starting point for improving and using these compounds as a chemotherapeutic agent for humans and animals, she said. The development of new antimicrobials and approaches that can treat and prevent infections caused by resistant pathogens may take time. BIOTECH researchers remain hopeful, though, and are one in saying that we may soon see new and cost-effective antibiotics from natural sources found in our country.
(IV Garcia)

Tissue culture of lanzones will fast track sourcing of the fruit peel for antimicrobial compound production.

Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics to treat infections amoxicillin, streptomycin, erythromycin, penicillin and methicillin, to name a few. But sometimes, one may have already taken strong antibiotics, and still have no relief in sight. Chances are, such a patient has already acquired antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria or other microbes to resist the effects of an antibiotic. Bacteria can develop this ability through several mechanisms: by neutralizing the antibiotic before it takes effect, by producing enzymes that destroy the active drugs, or by developing an altered structural target so that the drug cannot affect its function. One major resistant pathogen is Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium found on human skin. It causes surgical wound infections, boils, scalded skin syndrome, conjunctivitis and mastitis. It is also the common

pathogen in skin, soft-tissue, catheterrelated, bone, joint, pulmonary and central nervous system infections. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was first detected in Britain in 1961 and is now quite common in hospitals. In the Philippines, 5% MRSA prevalence was observed on laboratory results of hospitalized patients who have bloodstream infection, pneumonia, wound infection and urinary tract infection. The figure may seem small, but MRSA is already regarded as one of the most common causes of deadly hospital infections in the country. The escalating cases of antibiotic resistance and the rise of new kinds of infections in the country have given the scientific and medical community enough reasons to worry. According to Ms. Teofila O. Zulaybar, BIOTECH researcher, the only effective treatment for MRSA at present is vancomycin. However, recent studies have shown that MRSA is also becoming resistant to vancomycin. This is a major health concern that BIOTECH researchers are trying to working on. At its Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery Program, researchers are isolating and identifying antibiotic compounds from local sources that can combat the problem of accumulated multiple drug resistance. Initial outcomes have shown promising results. A study led by Dr. Eufrocinio C. Marfori that investigates the use of

BioCon: a fungus-based wonder


The lack of capital for farm inputs is one of the reasons that keep farmers from planting food crops. Even when they are able to plant, they often fail to realize any profit because they cheap imports have flooded the market. Thus, they again suffer the difficulty of raising capital for the next planting season. Such is the vicious cycle farmers are confronted with in todays increasingly expanding global market. But there might just be relief in a UPLB technology developed by Dr. Virginia Cuevas, Professor 8 at the Institute of Biological Sciences. Dr. Cuevas has come up with BioCon, a product that will help reduce expenses on chemical fertilizer inputs and fungicides, as well as help mitigate the negative effects of chemical fertilizers on our environment. Dr. Cuevas screened three Trichoderma species from a collection that she gathered from different parts of the country. She cultured these in an organic medium in order to produce BioCon that can be used both as a seed coating and as a soil inoculant. As a seed coating, BioCon increases shoot and root growth, enhancing the absorption of mineral nutrients. BioCon helps supply the crops with both macro- and micronutrients, bringing down the use of chemical fertilizer by as much as 50%. Dr. Cuevas assures users that crop yield will even increase despite the reduction of chemical fertilizer use. She cautions, though, that farmers must make sure to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers as the fungus will not do its job if chemicals are abundantly present in the soil. According to Dr. Cuevas, farmers find the use of BioCon costeffective. A 250g bag of BioCon costs only P350. This, according to her, is equivalent to 2-3 bags of chemical fertilizer (worth about P2,000-2,500) and allows the reduction of fertilizer use by 50%. An added value from BioCon is its ability to kill soil-borne pathogens such as damping-off diseases of seedlings, durian die back and corn sheath blight, reducing if not eliminating, the use of chemical fungicides. BioCon may be used for any kind of crop including cereals, vegetables, ornamental, or fruit crops. Dr. Cuevas started studying Trichoderma for her MS thesis, an undertaking that led her to formulate a procedure for the use of the fungus in rapid composting. She decided to further expand its use and, in 2002, generated BioCon. In order to make BioCon available in the market, UPLB entered into a licensing agreement in 2004 with Tribio Technologies, Inc. for the latter to mass produce and market the inoculant. Great technologies are not merely academic achievements; they should change the lives of the people for whom they have been developed. BioCon is one technology that has great potential to put a stop to the vicious cycle that farmers go through with each planting season when there is not enough capital to optimize the conditions for crop production and with each marketing when farmers cannot compete with cheap imports. (DIS Cruz
with information from Good news for Filipino farmers: Increase your yield with less fertilizer by Dr. Virginia C. Cuevas in www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph)

BioCon-treated rice (right) have longer roots and produce more tillers than the untreated rice plant (left).

BioCon-treated corn plants grow much faster than the untreated plant.

Carrots treated with BioCon produce bigger and heavier roots (right photo) compared to untreated plants which produce smaller roots left photo).

January-March 07

Four new professors emeriti named


Four retired UPLB professors Drs. Azucena L. Carpena, Erlinda S. Paterno, Dr. Leonila A. Corpuz-Raros, and Dr. Leoncio C. Raymundo have been named professors emeriti, the most prestigious title accorded exceptional academicians who have rendered loyal and outstanding service to the university. All four emeriti come from the College of Agriculture. Dr. Azucena L. Carpena is an expert on varietal improvement, especially of root crops. She pioneered the systemic genetic improvement of cassava and sweet potato in the Philippines, a work that produced 18 cassava and 14 sweet potato varieties recommended by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC). (Three more cassava varieties may be released this year.) One of the earlier cassava varieties developed by Dr. Carpenas group has long been widely grown in the Philippines for starch and for the formulation of animal feed by a leading food and beverage company, which is now contract growing other recent UPLB cassava releases for both animal feed and alcohol production. Some companies are already considering varieties developed by Dr. Carpenas group for ethanol production. Some UPLB sweet potato varieties are grown in various parts of the country including Central Luzon, where most sweet potatoes sold locally come from. UPLB varieties have good eating quality, are quite resistant to common sweet potato diseases in the country and are promising candidates for ethanol production because of their high starch content. Dr. Carpenas research has produced several technologies in the form of crop varieties that have widely been adopted by growers nationwide. She has produced over 60 scientific papers, one of which the NAST chose as outstanding scientific paper in 1998. A finding of hers had also helped reduce by half the cost of variety trials, including NSIC-monitored trials. In 1999, the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) awarded her the Achievement Award in Agriculture. Two years earlier, she served as a member of the panel that evaluated breeding programs of the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru. Dr. Carpena remained a dedicated teacher of plant breeding and population and quantitative genetics and helped make major improvements in the curriculum. Dr. Carpena finished BS Agriculture (agronomy) at UPLB (then UPCA), MS (agronomy) at Oklahoma State University, PhD (genetics and statistics) at North Carolina State University, and post-doctorate at Oakridge National Laboratory. She retired a Professor 12, the highest faculty rank in the UP System.

Carpena

Paterno

Raros
(The following is derived from Dr. Leonila A. CorpuzRaros: Torchbearer for Philippine Acarology by professor emeritus Dr. Clare R. Baltazar, from the October 2005 issue of The Philippine Entomologist.)

Raymundo

Dr. Erlinda S. Paterno served UPLB for a good 45 years, almost half of which with administrative duties alongside her teaching and research. She was college secretary of the Graduate School for a decade, department chair of soil science at the CA, university registrar, and vice chancellor for instruction. As registrar, Dr. Paterno got the computerization of registration in UPLB rolling, an initiative that has brought the system a long way from the overnight queues that students of a decade ago had to go through for a seat in class. She taught undergraduate and graduate courses in soil science and microbiology, always insisting on imparting not merely knowledge but important values and good ethics, and was constantly rated excellent by her students. As fruits of her research work on the use of soil microorganisms to improve the growth and development of crops, Dr. Paterno has two major UPLB technologies to her name: NitroPlus and Biogroe. NitroPlus is a microbial inoculant for legumes that provides the nitrogen needs of soybean, mungbean, peanut, cowpea, and pole sitao and thus eliminates the need for a chemical nitrogen fertilizer. NitroPlus was the choice of two major food companies in the country for their soybean production. It has been registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) and is now commercially produced at BIOTECH. Biogroe is a bio-fertilizer containing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that has helped increase the yield of selected vegetables, promote flowering of orchids and enhance the rooting of stem cuttings of ornamentals, cassava and black pepper. Tests have also shown that BioGroe enhances the growth of Jatropha curcas. Since BioGroe has presented itself as a viable alternative to imported synthetic plant growth regulators, efficacy tests are now being conducted for FPA registration. Dr. Paterno finished BS Agriculture at UPLB (then UPCA), MS (bacteriology) at University of Wisconsin-Madison and PhD (soil science-soil microbiology) at UPLB. She retired a Professor 12, the highest faculty rank in the UP System.

Dr. Leonila A. Corpuz-Raros is a systematist by training and is best known by her works on the Subclass Acari (mites and ticks), especially of beneficial forms that are important as natural enemies of pests and as decomposers. She had discovered, named and described 348 new species and erected 19 new genera of Philippine mites. She also identified and recorded the occurrence in the Philippines of 285 species originally described elsewhere. Altogether, her discoveries and records make up more than half of the 1,210 species presently known in the country. Dr. Corpuz-Raros finished BS Agriculture (entomology) and MS (entomology) at UPLB and her PhD (entomology) at the University of Minnesota in the US. She developed an interest in mites as a masteral student but had to shelve this to work on aphids, the subject of her doctoral dissertation, through which she discovered 13 new species in North America. Upon returning home, she participated in an ecological project on aphid vectors of a disease of potato in Benguet and discovered the occurrence of male and sexual aphids in the Philippines an outstanding discovery since it debunked textbook myths that male aphids do not exist in the tropics and that aphids reproduce there only by parthenogenesis. She resumed her work on mites after her doctoral studies and built up a huge collection of mites from various islands of the Philippines. The collection, unparalleled in extent by any group of organisms in Philippine museums, is now housed at the UPLB Museum of Natural History. Her body of work is contained in several international and ISI journals and had called attention to the existence of local expertise by which the world community can gauge scientific developments in acarology not only in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia where there are presently very few active acarologists. Dr. Corpuz-Raros retired a Professor 12, the highest faculty rank in the UP System.

Dr. Leoncio C. Raymundo served the University for nearly five decades, studying and teaching food biochemistry and processing. He is most associated with the development of the spray-drying technique to produce powders of tropical fruits, vegetables and rootcrops. The NRCP recognized Dr. Raymundos aptitude for research with the Achievement Award in 2001 for his work in the area of carotenoid chemistry and biochemistry. He was among the first recipients of the International Publication Award from the UP System when he was awarded such in 2000. His research work has been documented in 30 articles in international and local refereed journals. But the important information did not end up just there; he also lectured and gave trainings across the country, to as far as Jolo, Sultan Kudarat and Ilocos Norte efforts that earned him the UPLB Outstanding Extension Personnel Award in 1999. Dr. Raymundo was also instrumental in the development of a food science graduate program and in the institution of four graduate courses on food and postharvest biochemistry and tropical food processing. His students evaluation of him as a teacher attests to his mastery of subject matter and his ability to reach out to them. His serious biochemistry students well admire his no-nonsense manner of teaching. He had twice been nominated to teaching awards. Dr. Raymundo finished BS Agriculture at UPLB (then UPCA) and MS Horticulture and PhD (biological sciences-food and resource chemistry) at University of Rhode Island in the US, where he also taught lipid chemistry and assisted graduate students in carotenoid research. He retired a Professor 12, the highest faculty rank in the UP System.
(MLJBaroa-Cruz)

R&E ... from p. 1


Dely Gapasin, both of the WB, and Dr. Fernando Bernardo, Dr. Orlando Sacay and Dr. Tito Contado, who were among those who conceptualized and implemented the 1st 5YDP. They were also joined by Dr. Thomas Allen, former WB Director for the Philippines and University officials and personnel led by Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco and the vice chancellors. Dr. Quisumbing reiterated his message to the alumni from a recent Loyalty Day gathering in Las Vegas on how UPLB can ensure an enabling environment for R&D. He observed that researchers are too engrossed in research, forget to sell their products and fail to document their accomplishments. He said that the University should publicize its accomplishments in research and find a way to bring its technologies to the local government level despite the devolution of the Department of Agriculture. Dr. Gapasin, a WB consultant and a former PCARRD executive director, shared with the group her experiences in assessing the status of science and technology for agriculture development in a two-year program funded by the WB. She said that Indonesia surpassed the

Philippines in R&D development after it decentralized its agriculture R&D and devolved it to extension and through consistent support from the government. Indonesia also focused on matching technological solutions to what farmers really need. Dr. Gapasin suggested that the University should have a strong community-based system so that farmers or direct users can easily access basic information. Dr. Bernardo, former CA dean and IRRI deputy director-general, said that it is high time that UPLB is reengineered inasmuch as substantial development that happened in UPLB was the one implemented through the 1st 5YDP. The facilities that were put in place during the 1st 5YDP was, according to him, only for 3,000 students while the University now has over 11,000 students. He also advised that UPLB should not only focus on research but also do impact assessment. Dr. Sacay and Dr. Contado said that the university should reengineer its extension system and make it proactive. Dr. Sacay believes that UPLB should develop a game plan and set priorities. They collectively advised UPLB to enhance its human resources for extension, and to focus on areas where it can provide leadership and establish linkages. (PL Comendador)

LB community
from page 1...

amaranth, and how these may be


used for the countrys nutrition programs. Dr. Engle is a Filipina geneticist currently based at the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center-The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC-TWVC) in Taiwan. She said that indigenous vegetables should be fully utilized to improve the nutrition of resource-poor households in Asia. Dr. Antonio Laurena of the CSCCA gave a presentation on the nutritional and health benefits of soybean, a crop commonly processed into functional foods such as soymilk, soy sauce, taho and tokwa. Studies have shown that soy contains compounds that help prevent diseases such as cancer and hypertension. Dr. Laurena says that the health benefits derived from soybean and its processed products must be promoted to dispel the idea that it is just a source of animal feed. A special highlight of the activity was a free-for-all taste-test of various functional food items: specialty rice products (from Dr. Wilma Hurtada of IHNF-CHE), assorted herbal tea (from Dr. Constancio de Guzman of CSC-

CA), various fruit wines (from Dr. Erlinda Dizon of FSC-CA), soya milk products (from Dr. and Mrs. Antonio Laurena of CSC-CA), and carabao milk products (from the Philippine Carabao Center-UPLB). (FA Cruz)

Stakeholder eholders Stakeholder s ...


from p. 1 Makiling watershed is now at risk due to factors such as pressures of population growth and demand for livelihood of communities surrounding the MFR. If conservation measures are not put in place, this will result in a growing demand for water and possible water scarcity. To avert such a possibility, the advisory council will develop projects and programs on watershed conservation, specifically in the areas where Los Baos and Bay towns and Calamba City draw water. According to Chancellor Velasco, the council is a strong indication that institutions and the LGUs are willing to work together to preserve Mt. Makiling. (DIS Cruz)

CA AgriPark:

January-March 07

Already a magnet for tourists for its natural and educational attractions, UPLB now gives people one more reason why they should put the campus in their places-to-visit list: the CA AgriPark. Launched on Dec. 14, 2006 and patterned after theme parks, the CA Agripark is a showcase of agriculture products, technologies, services and publications. It is located at the Technology Development Center along the road to the IPB-BIOTECHNCPC complex. With Mts. Makiling, Banahaw and San Cristobal as its backdrop, the CA AgriPark is a relaxing and picturesque location for visitors to nurture their curiousity and interest in agriculture and its possibilities. One-stop Shop

science and nature entwined

The UPLB-CA has always been synonymous with agricultural technologies, advanced training in agriculture and related fields, informative publications, and experimental/demonstration farms. However, information and experts on these products and services are stationed in various buildings that are located far apart, making it difficult for farmers, students, researchers and other clients to get what they need. The AgriPark idea was introduced by CA Dean Candida B. Adalla who got fund support through a P5 million institutional grant from the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council, an agency under the Department of Agriculture. The CA AgriPark is composed of the Techno Demo, Theme Garden and Recreation Areas, each of which is a place of interest to everyone. Techno Demo Techno Demo is an on-farm technology demonstration area where many of CAs technologies are actually applied. The on-farm demonstration helps farmers decide on the right technology to fit their needs and resources. The Techno Demo includes a Transgenic Garden, a Biofuel Garden, a Grafted Eggplant and Tomato Garden, and an indigenous vegetable garden. It also features the Training and Technology Center, a venue for education and instruction on various fields of applied agriculture and for kapihan-type discussions on current issues and latest trends in agriculture. The Center also sells publications, agricultural test kits, vegetable and ornamental plant seeds, and other items. Theme Gardens

The Herba Hortikultura is a paradise for plant lovers, culinary aficionados and those who just want to seek solitude. It has a Garden Trail for the Blind, a Chefs Garden Delight, a Tsaang Gubat maze, an Herb Knot Garden, an Aromatic Archway and a Meditation Garden. The Garden Trail for the Blind is a pathway bordered by aromatic plants. One may take the path with eyes closed, guided only by the scent of the aromatic plants. The Chefs Garden Delight is a circular garden displaying an assortment of herbs and spices such as thorny coriander, holy basil, Mexican tarragon, fennel, lemon grass and more. The Tsaang Gubat Maze consists of meticulously trained tsaang gubat that forms interconnected circles. The Herb Knot Garden is composed of four separate quarter circles, each one bordering a knot-like arrangement of the same plant. It is a delight for the eyes especially when the plants small yellow blooms are in profusion and contrast with the rich green color of the leaves. The Aromatic Archway, a pathway to the Meditation Garden, is marked by seven arches on which aromatic flowering plants creep and cling. At the Meditation Garden, one can sit on the bamboo benches, feel the carressing breeze while taking in the view of the mountains and the fields. Recreation Areas The AgriPark has two recreation areas, namely, the Resto Park and the Livestock Royale. The Resto Park is the first area one sees upon entering the park. It features 12 native cottages circling a fishpond. These cottages are perfect venues for luncheon meetings or intimate get-togethers. Two of the cottages can accommodate 30-40 people while the others are for smaller groups. One may choose to catch tilapia at P100 per kilo and grill it right at the place. The Livestock Royale showcases commercial and native livestock and poultry breeds adapted to the Filipino small-hold farming system. Here, children can saunter around on a carabao-shaped walk, get a chance to pet and play with rabbits, chickens or goats. The place also aims to inform guests about plants and grass species in the feedlot garden that are useful in rearing these animals. It also features a goat house, a pig paddock, organic free-ranged chicken production, rabbit battery cages, multi-terrace forage demo plots and mini silos.

Producers Market The Theme Gardens showcase technologies that have agribusiness potential and highlight organic farming, biodiversity promotion and conservation/ appreciation of the use of indigenous plants and animals. It features the following: Insekta Filipiniana, Herba Hortikultura, Edible Landscape Garden and Tekno Organiko. Insekta Filipiniana is an enclosed haven for butterflies and beneficial insect species. Herba Hortikultura is a garden of an assortment of culinary herbs, spices, essences and medicinal plants. The Edible Landscape Garden is a showcase for container and trellis gardening, and demonstrates how vegetables and other edible plants are used in landscaping. Tekno Organiko showcases agricultural waste management, quality compost production, preparation/utilization of bio-fertilizer and biopesticides, cropping system strategies, as well as flowers that are important in warding off pests. The AgriPark also features the Producers Market at the left side of the path to the park. The market serves as a venue for displaying and selling products harvested from the park itself and by farmer-partners of the CAs extension projects. Products sold at the Producers Market include fruits, vegetables and planting materials. A two-hectare area will be apportioned for retired professors, student organizations and people in nearby barangays to rent and grow vegetables organically. Under this set-up, they are assured of a captive market at the Producers Market. A visit to the CA AgriPark is, thus, one that students, farmers, local government officials, researchers, teachers, or just about anybody, must make soon. (RB Villar, AL Lantican and
IM Gesmundo)

(Interested parties may arrange a visit to the Agripark through Dr. Julie Garcia at celfone no 09215905121 or through Jo Ann Oruga at the Office of Public Relations, tel. nos. (049) 536-3604 0r 2928 or email opaa_uplb@yahoo.com.)

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