Category: AGRICULTURE

Breeding superior cattle the fast way

Cattle produces one calf every two years. With conventional breeding , it would take several decades to breed livestock with improved genetic traits. This long period can be shortened through biotechnology, specifically, the multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) technique. This makes the production of animals with superior traits easier and to multiply these animals more rapidly.

Multiple ovulation, also known as superovulation is the production of a large number of ova by a dam of superior genetic traits. Through this technique, more embryos are generated, therefore, more calves are produced form one superior cow. Embryo transfer is the removal of the fertilized eggs and embryos from the donor cow then transferred to the uterus of dams undergoing the estrus cycle for gestation. Gestation is the process of carrying the embryo in the womb for growth and development. The MOET technique is used to conserve superior breeding stock or to improve the rate of genetic gain of selected herds. This process is effective for livestock with low prolificacy such as cattle. Continue reading “Breeding superior cattle the fast way”

Saline Tilapia: A beneficial partner in prawn rearing

It was more than a decade ago when Northern Mindanao’s prawn industry was almost crippled by Vibriosis, a luminous bacterial disease that caused sudden drops in the region’s shrimp production. The destruction caused by this event greatly affected the region’s shrimp producers prompting some intensive farms to close down, while extensive farms which contribute 88% of the region’s shrimps also suffered huge monetary losses.

In Region 10, Misamis Occidental alone has devoted 1,790 hectares of its total brackishwater fishpond area to prawn farming. Of this area, 95% are comprised of extensive farms which are characterized by low stocking densities of about 5 pcs /sq meter and below. These extensive farms are greatly preferred in this region since it is relatively cheaper to maintain but almost always produces high quality shrimp products because of less disease occurrences and problems. Likewise, extensive farming is more environment-friendly since it utilizes naturally available food organisms thus limiting the input of feeds and chemical supplements. Continue reading “Saline Tilapia: A beneficial partner in prawn rearing”

Sweet Tamarind Propagation and Management

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica linn.) is one of the minor fruit crops in the Philippines with a great potential for commercialization. In certain parts of the country , it is an important crop because its fruits and other parts have varied food and medicinal uses.
Tamarind has great export potential because its fruit may be processed into a number of acceptable products. But the mature and ripened tamarind fruit of the sweet type is said to be more important and expensive than when it is processed. However, the supply still does not meet the demand.
Propagation

Tamarind may be propagated by seeds and asexual propagation (i.e. grafting). Propagation by seeds is not recommended because the resulting plants do not grow true-to-type.
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Study identifies Dynamics of Jackfruit Infestation

With a recorded 18 commercial and non-commercial uses, jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus lam. ) displays great export potential specially as the fruit is gaining increased popularity beyond Asian shores. The Department of Agriculture (DA) has made jackfruit one f its banner commodities, attesting to this fruit’s foreign earning generation capacity.

In Eastern Visayas, efforts are underway to commercialize this crop. But the full commercializiation of jackfruit, like other crops, encounter numerous problems which all result to low yields. Insect pest attack is the most predominant obstacle to the growth of the Industry in the said region. Jackfruit is considerably attacked by fruit fly (Bactrocera umbrosa Fabr.) during the fruiting period, according to Coronel (1979).
In any crop production scheme, crop protection is always crucial to prevent insect-pest infestations. Crop protection activities include: a0 pest indentification, b) population fluctuation, c) assessment of damaged done by the insect pests and d) understanding of some biological information of the insect pests ( life cycle, mortality, alternate host, and natural enemies attacking of insect pests.)
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