Category: AGRICULTURE

Coconut oil: safe as mother’s milk

Coconut oil: safe as mother’s milk

by Junelyn de la Rosa

January-March 2003

Volume 5 no. 1

Source:Bar Digest

The same health and nutritional benefits in breast milk can be found in coconut oil. The medium-chain fats in natural coconut oil called lauric oils are similar to the lauric oils found in breast milk.

Lauric oils are becoming popular as natural enhancers of the immune system. Like breast milk which makes babies more resistant to sickness, coconut oil can help us from getting sick.

Lauric oils are becoming popular as natural enhancers of the immune system.

Like breast milk which makes babies more resistant to sickness, coconut oil can help us from getting sick.

Half of the fatty acids in natural coconut oil are lauric acids, which are converted to fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin works like a soldier by destroying lipid-coated viruses such as herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, and various pathogenic bacteria and protozoa.

In the past, there was misconception that coconut oil increases one’s cholesterol levels and result to heart disease. This was based on an overblown hypothesis that all saturated fats are bad for the body. Coconut oil has a high level of saturated fat. It is only recently that scientists discovered that some saturated fats are in fact good for the body.

Medium chain triglycerides

The fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are a class of fatty acids whose chemical composition is shorter than the long-chain fatty acids present in most other fats and oils, which accounts for their name.

Also called lean fats, MCTs differ from other fats in that they have slightly lower calorie content and are more rapidly absorbed and burned as energy, resembling carbohydrates more than fats.

Because of their structure, MCTs do not raise serum cholesterol or contribute to heart disease like the long chain triglycerides found in seed oils. Negative information on coconut oil was also based on scientific studies that used hydrogenated coconut oil instead of natural coconut oil.

Trans fatty acids

Hydrogenated coconut oil contains trans fatty acids (TFAs). Scientists say TFAs lower the “good” HDL cholesterol and raise the “bad” LDL cholesterol, raise total serum cholesterol levels; increase blood insulin levels, increase risk for diabetes; affect immune response by lowering efficiency of B cell response and increasing proliferation of T cells; interfere with utilization of essential omega-3 fatty acids; and escalate adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiency.

In short, TFAs are bad for you. We should steer clear or minimize eating processed foods which usually contain TFAs i.e. margarine, potato chips and baked goods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.

Today, coconut oil is called an important functional food for the 21st century. That is because coconuts provide health benefits over and beyond the basic nutrients according to Dr. Mary Enig of Michigan State University.

Current research is also done to test the effectiveness of coconut oil in lowering the viral load of HIV/AIDS patients and to increase body metabolism and lose weight in thyroid patients.

Cloning coconut’s ACP thioesterase gene
Recently, a group of scientists from various institutes of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB) successfully cloned one of the genes responsible for producing the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil.

Called the acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterase gene, this gene is responsible for the enzyme which determines the length of fatty acid chains during biosynthesis.

The scientists employed three cloning strategies to isolate the acyl-ACP thioesterase gene: RT-PCR, RACE, and library screening and used five and six-month old endosperm tissues from the drupe of the coconut variety Laguna Tall. Coconut meat was freshly obtained for the total RNA.

Scientists are optimistic that identifying the gene will set the groundwork for identifying other coconut genes and is a step nearer to their ultimate goal of creating a transgenic coconut that will have more lauric acids.

If all goes well, this designer coconut will be more valuable in the market and will produce other novel products to ensure the sustainability of the Philippine coconut industry.

The project is part of the UPLB-PCARRD-DOST funded project entitled “Cloning of Important Genes of Coconut”.

Source: Cloning and Partial Characterization of the ACYL-ACP Thioesterase Gene in Coconut (Cococ nucifera L) by Marni Cueno, Rita Laude, Antonio Laurena, Ma.Jamela Revilleza and Evelyn Mae Mendoza of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), Institute of Plant Breeding and Institute of Chemistry of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB). Health and Nutritional Benefits from Coconut Oil: An Important Functional Food for the 21st Century by Dr. Mary G. Enig of Michigan State University.

Portable Biogas Generator

Portable Biogas Generator
A “zero waste” venture to ease fuel shortage

by Rita T. dela Cruz

April-June 2007

Volume 9 Issue No. 2

Source:Bar Digest

It is true that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. In agriculture, farm wastes such as rice straw, bio-solids from vegetables, grasses, biodegradable feedstock, and manure do not immediately find themselves into the garbage as they could be potential alternative sources of fuel energy.

These agricultural wastes are being converted into biogas fuel through an anaerobic process. Biogas comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide which could be used as fuel for generating electricity at homes and farms particularly in remote areas in the province where electricity is limited. These could also be burned directly for cooking, heating, lighting and process heat, and absorption refrigeration.

One question remains. How to generate biogas fuel from these agricultural wastes?

Introducing the portages
The portable biogas generator or portagas was developed by a group of researchers from the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) lead by Dr. Rogelio Concepcion and Dr. Gina Nilo with Mr. Alan Anida, Mr. Carlos Serrano, Ms. Leonora de Leon, and Mr. Victorcito Babiera.

The feasibility and development of the portagas were undertaken for five years, from 2001 to 2006.

According to Dr. Nilo, all common biogas generators have two main parts: digester (where the slurry is mix and fermented to produce the gas); and gas holder (where the gas is collected and connected to a burner for cooking or lamp for lighting).

Prior to the development of the portagas, BSWM developed four biogas generators.

The first ever model is an integrated batch type generator developed in 2000. It is called “integrated batch type” because the gas holder is not separated from the digester.

In 2001, it was modified into a split-batch type (digester and gas holder are separated) and was referred to as PortaGas Model-1 or Pm-1. It has a floating gas holder attached to a Bunsen burner for cooking.

The previous model was further developed with the coming of Pm-2 in 2002 using a surplus burner from a non-functional auto-ignition LPG stove.

Then, a more refined model, Pm-3 was developed in 2003 with a pre-fabricated cast-iron manual gas stove and simplified gas holder fittings.

Finally, the most simplified model, Pm-4, which is the upshot of the portagas. Continue reading “Portable Biogas Generator”

The potentials of Organic Pesticides

The potentials of Organic pesticides

By: O.Q. Ballesteros

Greenfields March 1993

Because of the high toxicity of chemical pesticides, alternative pest control methods should be explored.

Everyone agrees that chemical pesticides are necessary evil. We need these chemical compounds to protect our crops from pest. For instance, in irrigated rice fields that are not protected with pesticides, the insect pest damage could go up to as high it could. 

As far as unwanted plant or weeds are concerned, the estimated yield reduction is 34 percent in transplanted rice, 40 percent in direct-seeded, rainfall lowland rice; and 67 percent in upland rice.

The pesticide market.

Because of the importance of pesticides in crop production, the sale of synthetic or chemical pesticides increased yearly from 1977 to 1991, according to the Agricultural Pesticide Institute of the Philippines or APIP. In 1977, the total sale of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and other “icides” amounted to 252.3 million pesos. Ten years later, the total sale was more than 1.5 billion pesos.

Significantly, more than 50 percent of the insecticides and herbicides purchased by farmers went to rice protection, while 60 percent of the fungicides was used to control the diseases of vegetables and fruit crops (bananas, mangoes and pineapple). Other pesticides used included, rodenticides, miticides , molluscicides and fumigants. Except for molluscicides (chemical used to control snails in ricefields and fishponds), other “icides” are generally used to protect plantation crops like sugarcane, pineapple and bananas.

Today, there is a growing awareness of the dangers posed by chemical or inorganic pesticides to the health of people and the safety of the environment. This situation has prompted government authorities to regulate and ban the use of hardly biodegradable pesticides like the chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT, edrin) and the tin compounds. Other toxic chemicals will ultimately be banned for agricultural use pending the use of effective substitutes that originate from organic or synthetic sources.

It must  be stressed that crop protection can be attained by other methods, including proper cultural management, use of resistant crop varieties, us of beneficial insects and predators, and more effective implementation of the integrated pest management program (IPM) emphasizes the use of existing biological control agents and resistant crop varieties as well as combinations of compatible farm management practices which include the judicious use of pesticides based on the economic threshold level. Economic threshold level (ETL) refers to the level of insect population in a certain field situation at which the cost of control would roughly equal the value of crop loss.

Proper cultural management is another method of pest control. It is intended to make the environment less favorable for pest reproduction, dispersal and survival. Among these practices are thorough land preparation, adjustment of planting dates, good water management, field sanitation, and crop rotation.

Constraints of botanical pesticides. Because of the exceedingly high toxicity of chemical pesticides, alternative pesticide sources should be explored and biologically evaluated for their efficacy and economy. Among the potential plant sources are tobacco, derris, nami, or scientifically called Dioscorea hispida, neem or Azadirachta indica, mariold, chili and other plants with pesticidal properties.

Despite the hihly effective pesticidal properties of tobacco as a source of nicotine sulfate and derris because of its rotenone content, commercial production of these compounds are still not a reality. This may be attributed to inadequate raw material supply  (especially) derris which is not generally cultivated or produce), lack of incentives to processors and lack of competitiveness with regard to product quality compared with synthetic or chemical materials. Nevertheless, it may be worthwhile to assess the commercial value of these botanical sources. Limited technology is available but it may not be areal hindrance to commercialization since it requires sometime to produce large quantities or raw materials. Hopefully, the technology could be fully established by the time the material are available.

Producing the raw materials . Government efforts to develop the countryside can trigger enormous entrepreneurial interest in the production of botanical pesticides. A non-government organization may spearhead this livelihood project by entering into contract growing arrangements with farmers. The NGO could serve as the linkage or conduit of contract growers and processors, marketers and, ultimately, users. The government may provide both technical expertise and initial financing.

With certain pesticidal crops like neem, for example, commercial production could be coordinated with agroforestry projects since the neem tree can be planted on rolling hills, on unproductive lands or areas, and on steep slopes where cultivation of cash crops would accelerate soil erosion. The neem tree does not require much water. In fact, it is not advisable to plant it in waterlogged areas.

All parts of the neem tree are sources of pesticides , but the seed is the richest source, followed by the leaves, then the bark and finally the wood. It takes three to four years from germination to flowering. The tree flowers twice a year, i.e. March and September. The seeds can be harvested from June to July or four to five months after flowering. AN average tree can produce as much as 350 kilogram of green leaves annually and about 50 kilograms of fruit. From 50 kilograms of fruit about 30 kilograms of seeds and 60 % are recoverable. The 30 kilograms of oil could be extracted and 24 to 27 could be made into neem cake.

Neem extracts from leaves and fruits have strong insect repellant properties. Oil from the seed can repel termites and nematodes. It also affects the food intake of insects and cause abnormal insect molting. Because of its various uses, neem derived pesticides can be classified as “broad spectrum.” Continue reading “The potentials of Organic Pesticides”

Guyabano production -Part 2

Guyabano or soursop production

By:Onofre Q. Ballesteros

Greenfields March 1993

 Fertilization

For basal fertilization, apply five kilograms of chicken manure or other organic matter, plus 100 grams of 14-14-14 per hole. Mix the fertilizer with surface soil before setting the seedlings.

Depending on soil structure and availability of soil moisture, subsequent fertilization should be on a quarterly or semi-annual basis, 1.e. at the onset of the rainy season and before the dry season starts. Clayey soil needs less frequent application of fertilizer than light or sandy soil.

To enhance rapid vegetative growth and profuse root development, apply a mixture of urea and 14-14-14. The amount of fertilizer depends on age of trees and native soil fertility. For non-bearing trees, 300 to 500 grams of urea per tree per year is recommended. For newly bearing trees, application may range from 750 grams to 1.0 kilogram of 14-14-14 plus 200 to 500 grams of muriate of potash (0-0-60) per tree per year. The use of potash will improve fruit quality. These rates should be increased as the trees become more productive and grow older.

The fertilizer should be applied in holes dug around the base of the trees where most of the feeding roots abound. Cover the fertilizer with soil to prevent loss through volatilization and water run-off.

Pruning

Remove water sprouts and interlacing branches and prune diseased branches. Protect the cut ends by painting with coal tar, paint or pesticide paste to prevent the entry of disease organisms.

Cultivation and weeding

Shallow-plow the soil to suppress weed growth and prevent brush fires during the dry months. Remove unwanted plants growing around the trees; such plants compete with the trees for nutrients and moisture.

Mulching

The enormous quantities of organic matter produced in most farms make mulching necessary. Mulching is putting of partially, decomposed farm wastes like rice hull, straw, grass and other materials around the base of trees. Mulch conserves moisture and hinders weed growth. Mulching materials that decompose become organic matter which provides small amounts of plant food to the trees; mulch also improves soil structure.

Pest and disease management

Guyabano is attacked by scales, mealybugs, mites, nest-building ants and twig borers. Regularly spraying pesticides can control these pests. Common diseases- such as antracnose and pink disease – can be minimized by practicing sanitation and spraying the trees with fungicides like manzate, Dithane, copper and sulfur based chemicals. The grower should immediately remove and burn diseased tree parts to prevent the spread of diseases.

Maturity indices

The fruits are mature when their skins turn shiny green and the spines are set far apart. The fruits are ripe when they turn slightly yellow.

Fruiting season

Bearing trees start flowering in May and June . A second flowering occurs in November and December. Fruits may be  harvested four months after flowering/

Harvesting

Gather fully mature but still hard fruits and place them in plastic crates or bamboo baskets. Line the sides of the baskets with newspaper to protect the fruits from bruises.