Agri-10 through its Regulatory Division capacitates the pest surveillance officers across MisOcc and Lanao Norte provinces.

 

The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10), through its Regulatory Division, conducted a Retooling of Pest Surveillance Officers (PSO) on August 14-15 in Lala, Lanao del Norte.

Attended by PSOs from the local government units of Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte, the training aims to enhance their capacity to combat pest and disease threats.

DA-10 Regulatory Division chief Eduardo N. Pit, PhD welcomed the participants, citing the need to refresh and update the skills to effectively manage pest and disease threats.

Moreover, Senior Agriculturist Novie T. Suello shed a light in identifying crop pests and diseases through exhibit introduction.

“We [the DA-10] have prepared specimens so you can see the actual appearance of insects and diseases, as photos alone can be misleading, to help you correctly identify them,” he stated.

The exhibit aimed to provide participants with hands-on experience, allowing them to closely observe and study the physical characteristics of plant pests and diseases.

Furthering the program’s objectives, DA-10 Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) Senior Science Research Specialist Jocelyn Octat provided updates on the spread of Fall Armyworm in corn and Pestalotiopsis sp. in rubber across the region, urging farmers to thoroughly inspect their crops.

“Crops might appear healthy at first glance, but FAWs could already be burrowing into the plant’s growing point, leading to eventual withering,” Octat warned.

“This behavior is known as cryptic feeding because pests camouflage within the plant, making them difficult to detect without close inspection,” she added.

As progressed, Bureau of Plant Industry – Plant Quarantine Services (BPI-PQS) representatives also shared updates on the Movement of Plant Products, Procedures, and Guidelines, and Emerging Plant Pests and Diseases in the Philippines.

Additionally, the RCPC reviewed Biological Control Methods and introduced an Online Monitoring System for Plant Pests and Diseases.

With the sessions completed, participants took part in post-tests; these tests were compared with pre-tests taken before the sessions began to assess their improvement in identification, ultimately aiming for better pest and disease management.

Through DA-10’s commitment to strengthening pest surveillance across the region, a similar event was held earlier last August 7-8, at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, for PSOs from Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin.# (BJME)