Category: AGRICULTURE

Agro-industrial waste enriches soil for corn

Agro-industrial waste enriches soil for corn
by Rita T. de la Cruz
January-March 2004
Bar Digest

There’ s money in waste. This is an old adage but for the farmers living in Northern Mindanao, this statement becomes a turning point in their agricultural activities as researchers from the Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (NOMIARC) developed the most recent and effective balanced fertilization program that could turn corn soil from infertile to productive.

Corn is one of the most important agricultural products in Northern Mindanao but due to the infertile soil, most corn growers have to resort to chemical fertilizers to provide the nutrient needed throughout the crop’s growing period. These are expensive and destructive to health and the environment. Moreover, soil acidity has become the most serious constraints for corn growers in Northern Mindanao. Continue reading “Agro-industrial waste enriches soil for corn”

Harvest more rice with ratooning


Harvest more rice with ratooning

by Junelyn S.de la Rosa
January-March 2004
Bar Digest

Farmers can harvest more rice and gain more income by ratooning or double harvest- an indigenous practice in rice farming that induces the formation of shoots or ratoons from the mother crop after the previous growth has been cut back.

Scientists from the Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice) at the Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija found that ratooning resulted to higher gross returns at P36,550.00 per hectare. This is higher by P19,585.00 than that of the farmers’ practice. The higher gross returns were attributed to higher yield and lower production cost. The experiment was conducted in a rainfed ricefield during the 2002 wet season.

The scientists also reported that hybrid rice (Magilas) was superior in terms of yield than other rice varieties- Mestizo, PSB Rc14 and PSB Rc12. Magilas yielded 13 tons per hectare followed by Mestizo at 10.3 tons per hectare to PSB Rc14 10.5 tons per hectare and PSB Rc12 at 9.2 tons per hectare. Continue reading “Harvest more rice with ratooning”

Silica gel from rice hull?

Silica gel from rice hull?

by Ma. Lizbeth J. Baroña 

January-March 2004 Volume 6 No. 1

Bar Digest

It comes with your new pair of shoes, inside your vitamin bottles, your new bag, and with just about anything new you buy. “It” would be that quaint little packet of “something” that accompanies your newbies, the silica gel pack. If you think the dry and exciting environment of your new buy is something that will not occur in the same thought as rice hull, think again.

Utilizing the potentials of an agricultural waste like rice hull as a component in silica gel is the objective of a study conducted by the Natural Science Research Institute(NSRI) and the Bureau of Agricultural Research(BAR). Continue reading “Silica gel from rice hull?”

Hot water dip improves banana and mango fruit quality

Hot water dip improves banana and mango fruit quality by Rita T. dela Cruz January-March 2003 Volume 5 no. 1 Source:Bar Digest The banana and the mango industries play an important role in boosting the country’s economic growth. These fruits top all other fruit crops in the country in terms of production area and demand by the domestic and foreign markets. However, problems in packaging and handling continue to hamper the development of these fruit industries. The key to good postharvest handling is careful harvesting. The quality of perishable foods is achieved from the moment they are picked or harvested. From this point, farmers should maintain postharvest conditions so that deterioration is minimized, and quality is at its best. Continue reading “Hot water dip improves banana and mango fruit quality”