DA-10 RCPC features technologies on crop protection to different batches of students during their educational tours.

 

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – Aimed at helping students broaden their understanding of crop protection, the Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) of the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) showcased the different Biological Control Agents (BCAs) to students in the said center during their educational tour.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that RCPC is the center responsible for crop protection in the region to ensure the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) among farmers’ practices with the use of environment-friendly BCAs.

Meanwhile, RCPC center chief, Lucille T. Minguez emphasized that the biggest challenge of the center is how to maintain the population of pests and the spread of diseases to crops to its manageable level, as they are mandated to undertake plant pest surveillance, plant pest diagnostic and management and mass production of BCAs, among others.

She added that the center produces different types of BCAs that will cater to the needs of the farmers in managing pests and diseases of their plants.

These BCAs are farmed out to farmers whose crops are infested with pests and diseases, and at the same time serve as preventive measures to control infestations in the region.

Showcased are the production and field application of the BCAs intended for specific crops such as Trichogramma evanescens for corn borer; Trichogramma Japonicum for rice stem borer; Trichogramma chilonis for fruit worm and fruit borers; Trichoderma for diseases of banana, durian and other vegetables; Metarhizium anesoplea for rice black bug; Beauveria bassiana for rice bugs, plant hoppers and other larvae; Green lacewing for scale insects; Earwigs for corn borer and fall army worm and Eocanthecona furcellata for different larvae affecting vegetables.

Around 300 students from Mindanao State University-Marawi and -Naawan campuses and the TESDA-accredited farm of Balmores Integrated Farm of Quezon, Bukidnon visited the center on different schedules.

With the students’ exposure, they can determine alternative methods of preventing the spread of pests and diseases of crops using friendly insects, while increasing awareness and adoption of BCAs. #