Soil and Plant Health Research

The main goal of this research is to provide soil and plant health data and index to certified farms to conform with improving their soil and plant health status to avoid degradation and maintain soil productivity and sustainability.

Now on its Phase 1, the project focuses on procuring equipment and necessary laboratory supplies to supplement the future bulk of soil and plant analysis coming from the different sampling sites within Caraga Region.

The project also started with the establishment of soil and plant monitoring plots from the suggested certified and/or supported farms by the City Agricultural office and/or other agencies. This farms will be evaluated for soil and plant health and following constraints analysis and soil and plant quality index will be derived.

Soil quality index is a very important aspect in the project, where a single numerical score will be calculated based on selected parameters. And this will be the basis to any recommendation or course of action for the farmer in order to productively and sustainably manage their farms.

Researchers: Leo Jude Villasica, Reuben James Rollon, Glenn Arthur Garcia, Sharyl Mae Daverao, Jason Gambuta

Documentations.

Sampling in Cacao Farm

Soil sampling activity

Biochar Research

"A solution to soil degradation", this is the hopeful tagline for this research vision. On its Phase 1, this project focuses on screening several biomass waste from agricultural plantations and agri-industries for their promising characteristics for various uses. The project is funded by the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) under the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP).  

The project already screened 10 very abundant biomass waste found in the Caraga Region. With this venture, the team also optimized the conditions from which this biomass can be effectively converted to biochar.

However, they are still testing it further to really ensure that the product is stable.

Among the 10 biochar developed, every one of it has specific and promising property waiting to be explored further. And for the future of the project, it is now looking into doing laboratory and field testing to validate this promising properties towards soil health and fertility.

Researchers (Phase 1): Reuben James Rollon & Leo Jude Villasica

Documentations:

Falcata saw dust

Oil palm empty bunch

Cacao pods

AgbioModerna Program

Biotechnology has played a significant role in agricultural production and food supply. This technology is being used to address problems in all areas of agricultural production and processing (Persly and Doyle, 1999). This includes plant breeding to raise and stabilize yields and produce nutrient-efficient and resistant crops to abiotic stresses. Moreover, biotechnologies have also been used in crop protection, such as developing crops resistant to specific plant diseases and insect pests and producing beneficial microbes for disease control. The application of biotechnology in agriculture undoubtedly has resulted in various benefits, including improved crop yield, reduced crop vulnerability to environmental stresses, and reduced dependence on fertilizers and pesticides.

Modernizing agriculture through the application of biotechnology can lead to higher crop productivity and farm profitability (Singh et. al., 2018). Also, biotechnology can be a useful tool to improve soil health, crop quality, and disease management. Thus, high-valued crops like abaca and soybean would greatly benefit from this technology. Abaca is the most important fiber crop in the country. Boosting the country's economy from its export earnings with an annual average of P4.7 billion. Currently, the Philippines is the largest producer of abaca fibers supplying about 87% of the world's requirements. In the Philippines, Caraga Region ranks number four top abaca-producing regions. Abaca production in the country has been threatened by a bunchy top virus, the most injurious virus which can significantly lower fiber quality and hinders plant growth (PCAARRD, 2017). Transmission of this virus is facilitated using infected planting materials. However, this can be suppressed or prevented by producing disease-free planting materials and early detection using molecular diagnostics (Bajet and Magnaye, 2002).

Project Title: R&D Program on the Use of Biotechnology to Modernize Production of High Value Crops (AgBioModerna)

Researchers: Elizabeth P. Parac, Leo Jude D. Villasica, Rezel S. Borines, Nic Oswald M. Borines, Joanne A. Langres, Reuben James C. Rollon, Sharyl Mae M. Daverao, Adam Lambaco,, Jason C. Gambuta, Nancy Doloriel

Official Logo Brand of the Program

Field sampling in Soybean Area at Trento

Field sampling in Soybean Area at San Miguel

Abaca Sampling in San Miguel

Caraga Black Native Chicken

The R&D project generally aspires to establish a sustainable breeding-true to-type Caraga black native chicken with at least 80% uniformity in meat and skin color.

Specifically, the project aims to:

- Establish morphological and phenotypic characteristics of Caraga black native chicken, egg production, egg quality, percent hatchability, and percent fertility.

- Establish breeding, selection, and hatchery management technologies suited to the Caraga black native chicken and to the most common farming systems in Caraga Region;

- Establish 250 head flock size in each station of breeding-true-to type foundation native chicken breeder stocks of Caraga black native chicken with at least 80% uniformity in meat and skin color, improved and predictable performance, and product quality. Transfer initial 1,000 heads of quality breeder stock

Project Title: DEVELOPMENT OF CARAGA BLACK NATIVE CHICKEN THROUGH BREEDING AND SELECTION AS POTENTIAL NICHE PRODUCT OF CARAGA REGION

Researchers: Escolastico S. Cagatin, DVM, Shernelyn S. Palma, Tomas Austral, Ph.D

Economic Studies on Rubber-based Cropping System in Southern Philippines

The economic component of the ACIAR soil and land management (SLaM) 2017/040 that is a research collaboration of the University of Southern Mindanao, Caraga State University, Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur, and the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management is in coordination with Griffith University. The said component for the Philippines is entitled The Economic Studies on Rubber-based Cropping System in Southern Philippines, which is spearheaded in implementation by Dr. Raquel M. Balanay of Caraga State University with Dr. Rodel Maglunsod of the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur.

The objective of this study is to develop an effective, market-oriented rubber-based cropping system for the uplands of Agusan del Sur. This for the investigation of the rubber-based cropping systems and the markets served by the rubber product from Agusan del Sur, Cotabato and Southern Philippines. This entails the investigation of the rubber-based cropping systems. The project was started on June 1, 2019 and will end May 31, 2024.