The prevalence of the abaca bunchy top virus (ABTV), among other problems, is threatening to dislodge the country’s position as the world’s major supplier of abaca.
ABTV is a dreaded virus carried by aphids, which cause stunting, leaf malformation, and death of the infected plant. If not immediately managed, ABTV can significantly damage the future of the Philippine abaca industry.
To address the problem of ABTV, PCAARRD and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are supporting two new projects.
The first project “Rehabilitation of abaca plantation through adoption of high-yielding and virus-resistant abaca hybrids” is being led by the Institute of Plant Breeding-University of the Philippines Los Baños, with seven state universities and colleges as co-implementers. It is being funded by DOST.
Abaca-growing provinces in the country were chosen as sites for this two-year project.
The researchers will micropropagate the hybrids using tissue culture technique. Resulting seedlings will then be evaluated in multi-location field trials in Laguna, Catanduanes, Albay, Leyte, Zamboanga, Davao del Norte, North Cotabato, and Caraga.
Trainings on abaca tissue culture protocol and nursery establishment and management will also be conducted to enhance the skills of project personnel and hasten the propagation of hybrids.
Through the farmers’ adoption of hybrids, the implementers hope to improve the income and quality of life of 1,568 small abaca farmers by reducing losses due to ABTV.
Ultimately, the project aims to reach the 2.5-million target production of abaca plantlets by 2015.
The second project is funded by PCAARRD and complements the first project by studying the shelf-life of polyclonal antibody for ABTV and to commercially produce the antisera.
The project team from the Visayas State University will use diagnostic kits in testing the presence or absence of ABTV in the identified location sites of the first project.
Through these projects, coupled with other initiatives under the Abaca Industry Strategic S&T Plan, PCAARRD hopes for increased production of quality fiber yield for a stable and stronger abaca industry.