A group of researchers from the Bicol Region has ventured on a study to commercialize mungbean production in the said region by enhancing its productivity.
Miss Luz R. Marcelino, Engr. Henrilyn R. Yamson, Mr. Danilo SA Bordon, Ms. Nellie Passion, and Dr. Edgar R. Madrid, researchers from the Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office No. 5, conducted the study.
Titled, Enhancing Mungbean Production in Bicol Region, the project was first implemented in Pamplona Camarines Sur, a rainfed area where farmers generally cultivate rice. The project was later introduced in Masbate where most of the farmers plant corn.
With mungbean as an alternate crop, the project aimed to address the frequent rice crop failure in Pamplona during the dry season and the lack of technical knowledge among corn farmers in Masbate, which leads to high production cost.
To do this, the researchers introduced the rice-mungbean cropping system in Pamplona, Camarines Sur. The system is an output of the Community Participation Action Research (CPAR) project in 2002.
The system inspires the need for crop diversification to address the problems in rice and corn production in the area. Growing mungbean after rice presents a good opportunity for farmers to earn additional income as it requires less inputs aside from being a short duration crop. It also restores soil fertility in time for the next rice planting season.
Planting mungbean next to rice, however, requires use of farmers’ preferred variety and appropriate planting method. Trials were, therefore, conducted under the project.
On the varietal trial, farmer’s variety ‘kintab’ obtained the highest yield at 1,000 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha). The study also showed that mungbean planted in rows (with a distance of 50cm between and 7cm within rows) had the highest yield of 730.04 kg/ha compared with 725.64 kg/ha in broadcast planting and 685.32 kg/ha in relay planting.
The innovative strategies of rotating rice with mungbean were observed to reduce the infestations of water-tolerant weeds in rice. Utilizing the seed planter as an intervention in planting of mungbean improved production efficiency and also provided an increased income of 35.50%.
In the corn-mungbean cropping system in Masbate, the study showed that row planting obtained the highest pod yield at 681.07 kg/ha in Aroroy and 610.65 kg/ha in Cataingan, followed by broadcast planting at 661.8 kg/ha in Aroroy and 593 kg/ha in Cataingan.
The study also showed that planting in relay obtained the lowest pod yield at 594.8 kg/ha in Aroroy and 542.7 kg/ha in Cataingan.
With the system, corn farmers obtained an increase of 55.77% compared with what they got from their usual farming system practice.
Moreover, the project was able to develop three mungbean-based products (flour, noodles, and nutrimeal) on top of other enterprises on mungbean sprouts and togue. With these enterprises, farmers were able to acquire additional income of ₱1,964 to ₱4,300.
The project Enhancing Mungbean Production in Bicol Region is one of the three finalists in the Development Category of the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD).
Initiated by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), NSAARRD aims to recognize the significant contributions of individuals and institutions in uplifting the status of agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources research and development in the country.
NSAARRD is held yearly as a featured activity in line with the celebration of the PCAARRD anniversary. This year, the Council adopts the theme PCAARRD at 8: Addressing Regional Needs through Sustained Partnership.