Sugarcane farmers in Tarlac are confident they can achieve a yield higher than the national average, from 54 ton-cane per hectare to 120 ton-cane per hectare of the sugarcane harvest, through a project funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). 

Funded by the DOST-Industry Level Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (iCRADLE) program, the project “Improving Sugarcane Productivity in Low-Yielding SRA-blocked Farms through Pilot Testing of Automated Furrow Irrigation System (AFIS) and Nutrio® Biofertilizer Application,” developed a solution to address the country’s sugarcane industry challenge of enhancing productivity, while mitigating the adverse effects of recurrent droughts and soil degradation.   

The project, being implemented by the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), developed a science solution to significantly improve sugarcane productivity compared to conventional growing methods in Paniqui, Tarlac.

Data shows that using both technologies increases sugarcane's average height and weight to 362.53 cm and 18.23 kg per 10 stalks. In comparison, conventional farming only yields an average height and weight of up to 327.87 cm and 14.22 kg per 10 stalks. Additionally, the average diameter of sugarcane increased to 30.94 mm from 26.44 mm.

“If the industry wants a solution for a specific problem, the counterpart state college or university, or a higher education institution, can provide the research. The iCRADLE is a cluster of five or more private institutions having similar problems and common needs,” said DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr.

‘Hindi imposible na maitaas natin sa 120 ton-cane per hectare ang yield ng tubo mula sa 54 ton-cane per hectare,’ stated Mr. Marlon Gamboa, Chairperson of North Cluster Producers Cooperative (NCPC), Paniqui, Tarlac. (It’s not impossible to increase our sugarcane yield from 54 ton-cane per hectare.)

Mr. Gamboa encourages other farmers to try the AFIS and Nutrio® biofertilizer. He shared that he was initially skeptical of the Nutrio® Biofertilizer as it was not a part of his farmer’s practice; however, witnessing the results firsthand after its application turned him into a 'believer.’ 

The project being implemented by the CLSU through the leadership of Dr. Marvin M. Cinense aims to support sugarcane producers, such as NCPC to significantly enhance their output by 20-30%  and maximize the production efficiency of Sugar Regulatory Authority Block Farms through the introduction of two technologies.

'AFIS is a modern way to water crops automatically. It is solar-powered and uses sensors and controllers to deliver the right amount of water. It saves time and effort and resources and is perfect for crops like sugarcane,’ said Cinense. 

Nutrio® Developer, Dr. Virginia Padilla, explained that “Nutrio® is a foliar spray biofertilizer, which contains friendly microorganisms that make sugarcane plants grow taller, leaves greener, and canes heavier, resulting in more cane and sugar yields.

‘Dumating yung AFIS, walang kaproble-problema….Hawak nila yung mga cellphone nila and tumatakbo na yung patubig, parang magic. Wala pang gasolina ‘yun. Ang laki po ng tipid.’ Mr. Gamboa attested. (The AFIS was delivered and with no problems…they just use their phones and the water runs, like magic. It does not even use gas. It saves a lot.)

These results were presented during the Farmers’ Field Day at NCPC, Paniqui, Tarlac, which was attended by more than 40 farmers and representatives from CLSU, DOST-Special Projects Division (SPD), DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), SRA, Fullmight Agricultural Corporation (FAC), Agfield International Corporation, and the Department of Agriculture.

Ten startups advance to the final round of the second Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge of the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) following the Top 20 product pitch presentations held on March 3, 2025.

The second Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge is a project spearheaded by DOST-PCAARRD in collaboration with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

STUDENT STARTUP QUALIFIERS

1. AVAMOS uSORB Innovators upcycles mussel shells as bio-circular absorbent for removing ammonia, phosphate, and carbon dioxide in waterforms.
2. Axiom launched Aquasim, a mobile application that can mitigate fish shortage and propel aquaculture by providing assistance on aquaculture-related expenses and tutorials on a virtual aquatic environment simulator.
3. BioCoat-Z utilizes Zeolite and microbes to maximize water retention and protect cacao from insect damage, sunburn, and heat stress.
4. Mi-DNA provides biosecurity solutions by producing African Swine Flu (ASF) test kits, providing effective diagnostic measures for the swine industry.
5. SENSITECH invented Fertilitech, a soil parameter tester that can be connected to a mobile application that measures the nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus levels in the soil for optimal crop production.

PROFESSIONAL STARTUP QUALIFIERS

1. AGRITEKTURA innovates the SHIP (smart, sustainable, holistic, human-centered, integrated, and innovation platform) solution in creating portable aquaculture facilities for smart farm integration.
2. AniTech launched CropNote, an online webapp platform for remotely monitoring farms. It provides various hardware for optimizing crop conditions.
3. B4U: Coffee Blends For You offers customized coffee blends through services such as client consultation, coffee bean sourcing, and quality assurance, among others, that best suit their clients’ branding and packaging.
4. CirPro Innovations processes locally-sourced calamansi and uses the peels to extract liquid pectin, which provides antioxidant properties as health benefits.
5. Lesstics turns single-use plastics into valuable resources such as coco fiber boards, providing livelihood to farmers while preventing plastic pollution.

Witness their final business pitch on the Demo Day on April 30, 2025, at the Fuller Hall, Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Makati City. Find out who will be the next champions of the Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge and will enjoy the prize of Php 400,000 for student teams and Php 1,000,000 for startups. To learn more about Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge, visit agri-aqua.aim.edu.

Two newly launched projects aim to strengthen the sugarcane industry by developing high performing varieties with drought tolerance and disease resistance.

Sugarcane-growing areas in the Philippines experience dry periods lasting 4.5–6 months, which makes drought tolerance a vital trait for sustainable production. Moreover, diseases such as downy mildew and smut can cause significant yield losses, which poses a threat to the sugarcane industry.

To address these challenges, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) funded two projects titled, “Genetic Variability and Selection for Drought Tolerance and Disease Resistance in Sugarcane Through In-Vitro Techniques” and “Integrating Wild Species for Sugarcane Varietal Improvement: Advancing Genetic Diversity and Crop Sustainability” being implemented by the Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation, Inc. (PHILSURIN). 

Led by Ms. Rosalyn T. Luzaran, the first project will utilize in-vitro techniques to identify sugarcane varieties that are tolerant to drought and resistant to diseases such as smut and downy mildew.

PHILSURIN researchers aim to accelerate the development of improved varieties more efficiently than traditional breeding methods through somaclonal variation. This process induces genetic diversity through cell and tissue culture. 

Meanwhile, the second project led by Ms. Graziella O. Tabulinar will explore the integration of wild sugarcane relatives specifically, Sacharrum spontaneum and Pennisetum purpureum, to develop new hybrid varieties. The team will combine the wild species’ high performance and disease resistance with the conventional varieties’ high sucrose content to enhance genetic diversity and crop sustainability.

These efforts are expected to provide valuable insights into the diversity and phenotypic variation of sugarcane and its relatives, contributing to the long-term breeding efforts toward a more resilient sugarcane industry.

During the inception meeting, DOST-PCAARRD’s Crops Research Division (CRD) Director Leilani D. Pelegrina emphasized that the projects will be instrumental in increasing the production of the sugarcane industry.

Additionally, Dr. Liwayway M. Engle, scientist and project staff, expressed her appreciation for the two projects, emphasizing their role as a strong starting point in driving and sustaining R&D efforts in sugarcane.

The inception meeting was attended by representatives from PHILSURIN led by Director General Ma. Regina Bautista-Martin, Project Consultant Dr. Liwayway M. Engle, and DOST-PCAARRD led by Dir. Pelegrina along with Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for Sugarcane Ofelia F. Domingo from the Agricultural Resources Management Research Division (ARMRD), Commodity Specialist for Sugarcane Sharie Al-Faiha A. Lubang, and other key staff from Crops Research Division (CRD), Financial Administrative Division (FAD), and the Office of the Executive Director for Research and Development (OEDRD).

Bohol’s production of ‘Ubi Kinampay,’ also known as the “Queen of Philippine Yams,” and other purple yam varieties are set to increase through a newly launched project being implemented by the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center of the Visayas State University (VSU Philrootcrops) with the Bohol Island State University (BISU).

The project, “Enhancement of Ubi Production through Trials and Demonstrations of S&T-Based Farm Practices to Support Industry Development in Bohol,” is led by VSU PhilRootcrops Director Marlon M. Tambis through the funding and support of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). 

Purple yam or ubi is both a culturally and economically important crop in Bohol, with the province accounting for nearly one-third of the country’s total supply. However, its production slowed down over the past decade due to the limited supply of quality planting materials, seasonal production cycles, and low adoption of modern farming technologies.

“The technique is to break its dormancy by planting it all year round since it is only usually planted during summer,” said Dir. Tambis.

With this, the project team aims to adopt the minisett propagation technique to rapidly produce ubi quality planting materials by cutting mother seed yams into smaller pieces or “minisetts.”

The team will also identify ubi varieties appropriate for year-round planting, including commercial varieties ‘Baligonhon,’ ‘Inoringnon,’ ‘Mindoro,’ and ‘Sampero,’ as well as ‘Ubi Kinampay’—a native variety known for its superior aroma, color, and taste. They will be tested in the municipalities of Corella, Bilar, Dauis, and Ubay, covering different elevations in Bohol.

Improved propagation and production techniques will also be introduced to farmers through orientations and training. Moreover, the team will strengthen market linkages between producers and processors to help sustain the livelihoods of ubi farmers and aid in reinvigorating the industry. 

VSU PhilRootcrops and BISU will initiate these efforts in collaboration with the Bohol Provincial Agriculture Office, Bohol Experiment Station of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 7 (DA-RFO 7), and Alturas Group of Companies. 

The project’s launch was organized by DOST-PCAARRD’s Crops Research Division (CRD) via videoconferencing.  

Present in the activity were representatives from PhilRootcrops, BISU, and DOST-PCAARRD headed by CRD Director Leilani D. Pelegrina with Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for Sweetpotato and Other Root Crops Fredric M. Odejar.