Grafting effective in producing off-season tomato

Grafting effective in producing off-season tomato

Tomato is an important vegetable known for the versatility of its uses both in fresh and processed food preparations. In the Philippines, it is considered as one great demand in the local market. However, production of tomato during off-season (rainy months from June to October) is hampered by many production constraints such as pests and diseases, unfavourable environmental factors, and lack of suitable varieties for planting. Thus, tomato produced during off-season commands a very high price.

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MMSU recommends off season tomato

MMSU recommends off season tomato

Three new tomato hybrids developed by researchers from the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) offer excellent opportunities to Ilocos farmers to venture into profitable tomato production during the off-season.
The developed hybrids are high yielding early maturing and tolerant to the very humid conditions during wet seasons in the Ilocos region. The fruits are juicy, sour, and have round and deep oblate shapes, qualities that are preferred by locals consumers.

The three MMSU hybrids (hybrids 1, 2, and 3) were developedin a five year study by MMSU researchers – Marylis Nalundasn, Rolando C. Ruguian and Victor V. Alpuerto of Monsanto Philippines, inc.
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The growing Philippine Vegetable Industry: Obstacles and Opportunities

With the enactments of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) in 1997, the Philippine agricultural sector has been modernizing rapidly, establishing itself as the center of the country’s economy- with a 25% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution and employing 505 of the labor force. However, the industry as a whole continues to exist as units of small, individually-functioning farms, most of which are producing fruits and vegetables for home consumption or as small-time alternative income source.

Vegetables as part of Filipino subsistence, be it as food or as source of livelihood cannot be underminded. All 43 kinds and 250 lesser known species of Philippine vegetables are important sources of minerals, vitamins, fiber and proteins. In the crop category, vegetable ranks second to ornamentals in terms of income generated per unit area and time. Moreover it is widely used as an intercrop for coonut and fruits trees, and as a components of other cropping systems. Ironically, per capita consumption is quite low at 39 kilograms considering that the recommended intake is 69 kilograms.

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IPB recommends organic farming for vegetables

For the past years, the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) through funding support from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) has been conducting several varietal trials for organic vegetable production. The main purpose is to enable the Institute to recommend varieties of vegetables suited for organic farming.
What is organic vegetable production?

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