LA TRINIDAD, Benguet(PIA) — The Northern Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center (NPRCRTC) at Benguet State University is leveraging technology to aid farmers especially in creating quality planting materials of root crops.
“We felt the need for quality seeds is really needed in the Cordillera, so our mission is to produce or to be a quality seed food producer ng root crops,” NPRCRTC Director Teresita Masangcay said.
The NPRCRTC is one of the two organizations that coordinate and carry out national root crop research, development, and extension activities.
Masangcay shared that in producing clean plant materials, they employ the conventional way, the aeroponics system, and the drip irrigation system.
The NPRCRTC has developed an aeroponics system for purple yam and potato. It was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) from 2019 to 2023. Through the drip irrigation system, which is soilless, they are now producing quality planting materials.
Masangcay said through the aeroponics and drip irrigation system, they produce an average of 16 tubers per plant, which is higher compared to the conventional wherein they produce an average of six tuberlets per plant.
With the support of their partner agencies, they aim to perfect the said technologies.
NPRCRTC has partnered with the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR), which disperses the high quality seeds to the farmers.
“DA-CAR has been our partner in producing clean quality plant materials since 2015 pa and every year, they give us funds in order for us to multiply more for the farmers. Also, the DOST was able to develop/start the aeroponics and irrigation system. Ngayon, we are trying to perfect the technology so that we can produce more per plant,” Masangcay elaborated.
Aside from potatoes and purple yams, the center is also producing high-quality plant materials of taro, cassava, ginger, and sweet potatoes.
Another technology is tissue culture, the process of maintaining and growing cells, tissues, or organs in an artificial environment.
Jennie Balao, Division Chief of the Crop Management and Seed Production, explained that the tissue-cultured plantlets are being used as planting materials at the seed production greenhouses.
“‘Yung mga patatas naman na ginagamit doon sa mga researches, for example ‘yung mga advance clones natin, so tinitingnan natin kung paano [sila] adapted sa isang lugar o mas resistant ba siya sa mga sakit, puwede ‘yun na gamitin ng ating mga farmers.”
The NPRCRTC is also training farmers to propagate their own rootcrops and tuber crops.
“We are also training our farmers to produce their own quality planting materials through the rooted cutting production,” Balao said.
She assured that their planting materials are certified and quality as proven by some farmers who have tried the said technologies and have increased their yield.
“Bumabalik sila. Aside from that, ‘yung ibang farmer namin is naging adopter, ‘yung iba naman is kumuha na din sila ng plant tissue culture kasi nakita nila, nasubok na nila na ‘pag galing dito sa Center ay alam nila na quality ‘yung seeds,” Balao said.
Nelio Compelio is among the farmers who adapted the tissue culture technology, producing his own cultured potatoes.
“Malaki ‘yung naitulong nila. Kung sakaling magkaroon kami ng problema, sila (NPRCRTC) ‘yung kino-contact ko tsaka sila mismo ‘yung pinanggagalingan nung in vitro,” Compelio shared.
Since this method doubles the life of root crops to six months, Compelio is encouraging other farmers to try it.
“Mas maganda ‘yung galing tissue culture kaso matagal ‘yun. Halimbawa ito, galing ito sa test tube ng tissue culture, mas matagal kung sa buhay niya, mas matagal, aabot nang 5 to 6 months. Doon ka magca-cut ng gagawin mo ring mother plant,” he said.
Compelio is one of the awardees during the World Potato Congress in 2024. (JDP/DEG/Clariza Osiang-PIA CAR- BSU Intern)
