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BIO-FERTILIZERS AND BIO-PESTICIDES RESEARCHAND DEVELOPMENT AT UPLB

Pio A. Javier1 and Marilyn B. Brown2

1Crop Protection Cluster,University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)

College, Laguna 40312BIOTECH, UPLB, College, Laguna 4031

ABSTRACT

With the establishment of the National Institutes of Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology(BIOTECH), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) researches were done to look forcheaper and locally available but efficient substitutes or supplements to inorganic fertilizer, suchas bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. Technologies on bio-fertilizers developed by UPLB includeBIO-N, the most popular and one of the most effective; Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza RootInoculant or VAMRI; Brown Magic; BioGroe; Mykovam; NitroPlus; microbial inoculants for thebioconversion of crop residues and agro-industrial by-products into bio-fertilizers; Cocogro orplant growth hormones from coconut water; and BioCon. bio-pesticides derived from such naturalmaterials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals were also discussed in this paper.Three major types of bio-pesticides were studied: microbial, plant, and biochemical pesticides.Results of experiments and tests showed that these kinds of pesticides may serve as effective andsafe alternatives to chemical ones. Bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides in the Philippines are verypromising. Bio-fertilizers are very cheap, easy to use, safe and do not require repeatedapplications. Several training courses and workshops have already been conducted to disseminateand transfer the bio-fertilizer technologies to target clientele. However, they still lack availabilityoutside UPLB. On the other hand, some bio-pesticides are still unpopular among farmers. Thearea-wide use of bio-pesticides could be enhanced if village-level mass production and utilizationof this technology will be aggressively extended to Filipino farmers by the local government unitsthrough organized integrated pest management programs.

Key words: bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, BIOTECH-UPLB, bio-fertilizers technologies, microbialpesticides, plant pesticides, biochemical pesticides

INTRODUCTION

For over three decades, the Philippineagricultural sector has depended and relied oninorganic fertilizers and pesticides for foodproduction. Because of the lack of an effectiveand locally available fertilizer and pesticidestechnologies, the Philippines resorted to theimportation of 85% of the total inorganicfertilizer and more than 90% of pesticiderequirements. Large amounts of foreignexchange spent on importation havecontributed to the stagnant and limited growthof our economy. It is in this regard that bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide research in thecountry was undertaken in the late 70s tocome up with more cost-efficient and local

alternatives to imported fertilizers andpesticides.

With the establishment of the NationalInstitutes of Biotechnology and AppliedMicrobiology (BIOTECH) at the University ofthe Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), mycorrhizaeresearch grew very rapidly and gainedmomentum during the last two decades. “Bio-fertilizer Technology Program”, formerly“Nitrogen Fixation and Mycorrhizae Program”,became one of the major programs of theinstitute and this program has been mandatedto undertake researches in all aspects ofmycorrhizal symbiosis, organic composting andnitrogen fixation. The goal was to look forcheaper and locally available but efficientsubstitutes or supplements to inorganic

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fertilizer. Thirty years from its inception, theprogram has developed several microbialinoculants and bio-fertilizers for agriculturalcrops, ornamentals and forest trees, whichcould increase yield/growth of targeted crops,significantly reduce or eliminate chemicalfertilizer requirements, and are environmentallysound.

On the other hand, research on the useof plants as bio-pesticides in the Philippineshad not gained that momentum as in bio-fertilizers due to inadequate financial support.Most of the bio-pesticide researches in thePhilippines have been conducted at theInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI) andat UPLB (Departments of Entomology and PlantPathology). Other research institutionsconducted preliminary screening of some crudeextracts but results are mostly unpublished.The plant parts being bioassayed are leaves,flowers, stem, vine, bark, fruit peelings, seedsand bulbs. Most of the studies are verypreliminary, with crude extracts assayed on afew test organisms.

BIO-FERTILIZERS:TECHNOLOGIES/PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Title of Technology: BIO-N (inoculants for rice,corn and high value agricultural crops)Date/Year of development: 1985

Technology description:BIO-N (Fig. 1) is a microbial-based fertilizerdeveloped by Professor Emeritus Mercedes U.Garcia from nitrogen-fixing bacteria isolatedfrom the roots of “talahib” grass (Sacharrumspontaneum). It is a product of the everinquiring mind of Dr. Garcia who had observedthe pervasiveness of talahib grass even onthe hostile soil and environment conditions.She wanted to find out the reason why the

talahib could still grow normally in conditionswhere other agricultural crops would easilysuccumb. Dr. Garcia conducted a researchstudy at the National Institute of MolecularBiology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) tosatisfy her curiosity and through years ofmeticulous work, she was able to isolate aspecies of nitrogen-fixing bacteria from talahibroots called Azospirillum. The bacterium hasthe capability to convert atmospheric nitrogen(N2) into a form usable by the plants. Thesebacteria, once associated with roots of rice,corn, sugar cane, and some vegetable plants,can enhance root development, growth, andyield.

It is in powder form and prepared in a200-gram packet, which could either be used asseed coating or used as a dilute solution forroot dipping; or drenching already establishedyoung plants. One packet can be used toinoculate 3 kg of corn seeds or 20 kg of rice.Five packets of BIO-N can provide the needsof a one-hectare rice or corn plantation fornitrogenous fertilizer. Fields that have sufficientamounts of other elements respond dramaticallyto BIO-N. Best responses to inoculation maybe obtained when ¼ to ½ of the recommendedrate of combined nitrogen (bioorganic andinorganic) for the particular soil is applied.BIO-N can also be used where organicfertilizers are applied basally.

BIO-N enhances root development,growth and yield of the rice and corn andother vegetable crops, maintains the soilnatural properties and fertility, and keeps plantshealthy and green even during droughts andpest infestation.

BIO-N replaces 30-50% of the totalnitrogen requirement of plants. Expenses fornitrogenous fertilizer of PhP 3,200.00 perhectare per cropping cycle are, therefore, cutdown to about PhP 300 (Php 60 per pack x 5packs per ha in lowland rice) per hectare percropping cycle. The use of BIO-N allows one-time application of nitrogen fertilizer, therebyreducing labor cost to about 50% for the samearea per cropping cycle.

Farmers in all regions in the Philippines(Regions 1 to 12) specifically those areascovered by the Department of Agriculturebenefit from the use of BIO-N. Trainings onthe preparation of the carrier of the BIO-N andon the application of BIO-N are provided tointerested clients.Fig. 1. BIO-N microbial fertilizer

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Title of Technology: Vesicular ArbuscularMycorrhiza Root Inoculant (VAMRI)(Mycorrhizal inoculant for agricultural andhorticultural crops)

Date/Year of Development: 1994

Technology description:Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Root Inoculantor VAMRI (Fig. 2) is a chopped dried cornroots infected with arbuscular mycorrhizalfungus, either Glomus mosseae or Glomusfasciculatum. These two VAM fungi werechosen among several isolates collected fromvarious localities in the country and 13 isolatespurchased from Abbott laboratories. VAMRIserves as bio-fertilizers and bio-controlagents of soil-borne diseases of different cropsunder various conditions. The mycorrhizalfungus has the ability to assist the plant rootsin absorbing water and nutrients especiallyimmobile elements such as phosphorus andzinc. They impart a degree of resistance ortolerance against soil-borne pathogens likenematodes, bacteria and fungi. Theirinteractions, however, vary depending on hostcultivar, species of VAM and pathogens,inoculum densities and soil fertility. Thus,VAMRI can substantially reduce or substitutethe chemical fertilizer and pesticide requirementsof crops. This inoculant can be used forpepper, eggplant, tomato, papaya, banana,pineapple, watermelon, onion, corn, sugarcane,peanut, fruit crops/trees and ornamental plants.

VAMRI can be applied by seed pelletingor coating for direct seeding crops, by mixingwith the sowing medium for transplanted crops,and by adding a pinch in potting medium forcuttings or seeds (ornamentals).

VAMRI can replace 50-100% of theplant’s chemical fertilizer requirement and other

amendments like compost depending on soilfertility status. All farmers can use VAMRI onagricultural crops such as vegetables, rootcrops, sugarcane, onion, fruit crops andornamentals. VAMRI has been widely used byonion growers in Regions 1, 2 and 3 andsugarcane planters in Bacolod City.

Several trainings, seminars, workshopsand on-farm demonstrations were conductedregarding the use of VAMRI. However, mostof the trainees were either from academic orresearch institutions. Hands-on trainings fortarget clientele were limited due to budgetconstraints.

Many requests are being received fortraining on the mass production and handlingof mycorrhizal inoculants. Trainors’ training onvillage-level production of inoculants can bedone on municipality level and upon requestsat BIOTECH. The techniques employed forhandling, quality control and maintenance ofinoculants are being offered at BIOTECH.

Title of Technology: Brown Magic (inoculantfor orchids)

Date/ Year of Development: 1997

Technology description:Brown Magic (Fig. 3) is a mycorrhizal fungalinoculant that can be utilized as biologicalfertilizer and bio-control agent of root diseasesof orchids. The fungus was chosen from 200isolates composed of sclerotium or fruitingbodies of fungi and mycelia collected andisolated from orchid roots. Application ofBrown Magic increases survival and growth ofin- vitro cultured orchid and reduces transplantshock from in-vitro to in-vivo conditions;increases tolerance and resistance of plantsagainst pathogens and diseases; induces earlyflowering and enhances the production of moresuckers and longer spikes. This inoculant is

Fig. 2. VAMRI Fig. 3. Brown Magic

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environment-friendly, economical and easy touse since application can be done only onceeither at transplanting from in vitro to in-vivoconditions or during composting or repottingperiod.

Brown Magic is being used in CordilleriaAdministrative region, Region III (CentralLuzon) and in Region IV (Calabarzon). Theinoculant is available at BIOTECH Sales officeat UPLB.

Title of Technology: BioGroe (plant growthpromoter)

Date/Year of Development: 2004

Technology Description:BioGroe is a solid-based microbial plant growthpromoter containing plant growth promotingrhizobacteria (PGPR). PGPR are root-associatedbacteria, which influence root growth byproducing plant hormones and providenutrients in soluble form. PGPR can alsoprotect plant surfaces from colonization bypathogenic microbes through direct competitiveeffects and production of antimicrobialcompounds.

BioGroe is easy to use and environment-friendly. The benefits of BioGroe includeenhanced root growth and development,increased productivity of crops, and reduceduse of toxic or environmentally damagingchemical fertilizers and pesticides. The productcan be used in vegetable production,propagation of ornamentals and plantationcrops, rice and sugarcane production and inthe growth enhancement of fruit and foresttrees. BioGroe showed promising results ontest crops in Bataan, Laguna, Tarlac andPalawan.

Training on the use of the plant growthpromoter and market outlets can be held andestablished, respectively, in the differentregions.

Title of Technology: MYKOVAM (Mycorrhizalinoculant for agricultural crops, fruit treesand forest trees)

Date/Year of Development: 1988

Technology descriptionMykovam (Fig. 4) is a soil-based biologicalfertilizer containing spores, infected roots andpropagules of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi calledvesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAM).

These fungi when inoculated to seedlings willinfect the roots, help in the absorption ofwater and nutrients particularly phosphorus,prevent root infection by pathogens and canincrease plant tolerance to drought and heavymetals.

Mykovam is cheap and easy to use. Akilo of Mykovam can fertilize 200-400 plants.The application is once throughout the entirelife of a plant. It replaces 60-85% of theplant’s chemical fertilizer requirement, thus,farmers may increase their savings and income.Farmers can apply Mykovam on agriculturalcrops such as vegetables, root crops,fruit trees, forest trees except pines anddipterocarps, and ornamentals except orchids.

Title of Technology: NitroPlus(legume inoculant)

Date/Year of development: 1974 - 1980

Technology Description:The high cost of chemical nitrogen (N) and theincreasing environmental problems gave rise tothe need to adapt new ways of supplying Nto crops. NitroPlus (Fig. 5) consists of pureeffective rhizobia grown in suitable carrier. It

Fig. 4. Mykovam

Fig. 5. NitroPlus

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comes in powdered form in 100-gram packetswhich can be used to coat seeds prior tosowing. NitroPlus was developed as a bio-fertilizer for legumes which will replace orsupplement chemical N fertilizer.

The need to inoculate legumes has beenestablished. A summary of the results of fieldinoculation trials in collaboration with variousagencies showed that soybean frequentlyresponded to inoculation with an average of124% yield increase. Mungbean and peanutshowed an average yield increase of 29% and39%, respectively. The average yield of theinoculated treatments was more than one tonin all crops.

Legumes treated with NitroPlus yield asmuch if not more than legumes fertilized withthree bags of ammonium sulfate. At 95%utilization of NitroPlus for soybean, mungbeanand peanut production, about $5 million worthof nitrogen fertilizer per cropping could besaved.

Legume growers will benefit a lot fromthis low-cost technology. A reduction inproduction cost will result in steady supply oflegumes which in turn will benefit the foodindustry.

The use of NitroPlus increases cropsyield and income. Without nitrogen fertilizer,the use of NitroPlus can increase soybeanyield by 124%, mungbean by 29% and peanutby 37%. In a comparative analysis of theeconomic production of legumes with andwithout inoculation, NitroPlus in soybeanincreased net returns per hectare by 251%,from P2,602.40 to P9,198.00; in mungbean by30%, from P2,806.67 to P3,874.18; and in peanutby 158%, from P3,064.00 to P7,898.75. Thepotential users are farmers and corporationswho are producing legumes, the food industrywho are producing legume-based products andthe animal producers who use legumes asfeeds.

NitroPlus are distributed to privatesector, government agencies, cooperatives andnon-government organizations. Among theprivate agencies, San Miguel Corporation,Nestle Philippines and STANFILCO are thebiggest Nitro Plus consumers.

Title of Technology: Microbial Inoculants forthe Bioconversion of Crop Residues andAgro-Industrial By-Products into Bio-fertilizers

Date/Year of Development: 1991

Technology Description:This technology provides the microbialinoculants (i.e.. Bioquick, Biofix) that promotethe bioconversion of crop residues and agro-industrial by-products such as coconut coirdust, mud press, animal manure, and othersimilar materials, into refined inoculatedcompost or bioorganic fertilizers (i.e. Biogreenbioorganic fertilizer), which are proven effectivefor many field crops, horticultural crops, andfishponds.

The formulation of BioQuick, BioFix, andBioGreen (Fig. 6) is part of local innovationson preparation of microbial inoculants fororganic matter degradation and soil nutrientenrichment. Data on substrate breakdown andmicrobial analysis have contributed towards agreater understanding of organic farming andoptimum application of organic fertilizers.

Big potential users of these technologiesare farmers of field crops such as rice, corn,vegetables; orchardists; fishpond operators;and other plantation owners. Many requestsare being received for training at BIOTECH.Several market outlets are open to sell organicfertilizers and microbial inoculants.

Fig. 6. BioQuick, BioFix, and BioGreen

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Title of Technology: Cocogro (plant growthhormones from coconut water)

Technology description:Cocogro (Fig. 7) is the pooled extract fromcoconut water which contains approximately250-300 mg of plant growth hormones/regulators per liter of solution and is notsusceptible to microbial action as in freshcoconut water. The product when diluted to100-500 times with water and applied to seeds,seedlings and cuttings, enhances plant growthand development (root proliferation; stemelongation, flower induction) to 20– 40% morethan untreated plants.

Huge volumes of coconut water arebeing disposed of due to the increase in virgincoconut oil production. A novel approach toget more income and utilize the waste coconutwater into usable form is to extract expensivebio-chemicals such as growth hormonesthereby reducing the amount of waste water tobe disposed in rivers and streams. Theextracted growth hormones will enable ourcountry to use the cocogro for agriculture andhigh tech industries utilizing culture and cellformation. The additional commodities andgrowth hormones would have been added tothe list of coco-based derived chemicals as asource of much needed revenues for thePhilippines.

Potential users are tissue culturelaboratories, vegetable/seed companies andornamental plant growers.

Title of Technology: BioCon (a fungus-basedwonder)

Technology Description:BioCon is a product that helps in reducing theexpenses on the use of inputs like chemicalfertilizers and fungicides. It also mitigates the

effects of chemical fertilizers in theenvironment. Dr. Virginia Cuevas of theInstitute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, screenedthree Trichoderma species (T. parceramosum,T. pseudokoningii, and a UV-irradiated strainof T. harzianum) from a collection that shegathered from different parts of the country.The genus Trichoderma is known worldwide asa fungus with high antagonistic propertiesagainst fungal pathogens. These propertieswere established in several laboratory and fieldexperiments conducted in the Philippines andother countries against a wide range of soil-borne and air-borne plant pathogens of variouscrops. These include Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium,Pythium, Phytopthora. Fusarium, Botrytis,Sclerontinia, Fulvia, Macrophomina and manyothers. These species were cultured in anorganic medium in order to produce BioConthat can be used both as a seed coating andas a soil inoculant.

As a seed coating, BioCon increasesshoot and root growth, enhancing theabsorption of mineral nutrients. BioCon helpssupply the crops with both macro andmicronutrients, bringing down the use ofchemical fertilizer by as much as 50%. Despitereduction of the use of chemical fertilizer, usersare assured that yield will still increase.Farmers must make sure to reduce the use ofchemical fertilizer as the fungus will not do itsjob if chemicals are abundantly present in thesoil.

The use of BioCon against damping offpathogens of vegetables was demonstrated in afarmers’ field in Laguna province, Philippines.Improved Trichoderma pellets introduced intothe soil at a rate of 100 g per m2 at weeksbefore seed sowing in beds or direct seedingin the field, a much increase in dosagecompared to that used in a previous work,were used. With these innovations, one-timesoil introduction of the antagonist minimizedactivity of Pythium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii andRhizoctonia solani, thus, damping off diseasecaused by these pathogens was effectivelycontrolled. Soil population density ofTrichoderma monitored six weeks afterapplication was highly correlated with theincreased percentage seed germination andpercentage seedling survival of the test crop,Brassica chinensis (pechay).

Performance of BioCon was comparedwith that of the chemical fungicide mancozeb.

Fig. 7. Cocogro

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More seeds germinated in Trichoderma-treatedplots and, consequently, more healthyseedlings were available for transfer to the fieldby using BioCon than by using chemicalfungicide. Growth of B. chinensis andLycopersicon esculentum (tomato) seedlingswas significantly enhanced in seedbeds treatedwith Trichoderma pellets but not in mancozeb-treated seedbeds and the control. Fieldapplication in Benguet, a high-altitude provincein northern Philippines, also showed growthenhancement in Apium graveolens (celery).

Solanum melongena (eggplant) growndirectly in BioCon-treated plots produced morefruits that were bigger than those from thecontrol plots and from plots sprayed with thechemical fungicide mancozeb. A significantlylower number of viable sclerotial bodies ofRhizoctoni solani were recovered in BioCon-treated plots compared with the othertreatments. A lower incidence of the diseasecould be expected in the next cropping season.The use of BioCon pellets of Trichoderma didnot only reduce the incidence of damping offbut also enhanced growth and resulted inhigher yield of crops (Cuevas et. al. 2005).

The use of BioCon is cost-effective. A250 g bag of BioCon costs only P350, which isequivalent to 2-3 bags of chemical fertilizer(worth about P2,000 – P2,500) and allows thereduction of fertilizer use by 50%. An addedvalue from BioCon is its ability to kill soil-borne pathogens such as damping-off diseasesof seedlings, durian die back and corn sheathblight, reducing if not eliminating the use ofchemical fungicides. BioCon may be used forany kind of crop including cereals, vegetables,ornamentals, or fruit crops.

In order to make BioCon available in themarket, UPLB entered into a licensingagreement in 2004 with Tribio Technologies,Inc. for the latter to mass-produce and marketthe inoculant.

BIO-PESTICIDES

Bio-pesticides (also known as biologicalpesticides) are certain types of pesticidesderived from such natural materials as animals,plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Bio-pesticides fall into three major categories:microbial, plant, and biochemical pesticides.

Microbial Pesticides

Microbial pesticides contain a microorganism(bacterium, fungus, virus, protozoan or alga) asthe active ingredient. The most widely knownmicrobial pesticides are varieties of thebacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, or Bt,which can control certain insects in cabbage,corn, potatoes, and other crops. Bt produces aprotein that is harmful to specific insect pests.Certain other microbial pesticides act by out-competing pest organisms. Microbial pesticidesneed to be continuously monitored to ensurethey do not become capable of harming non-target organisms, including humans.

Beauveria and Metarhiziumagainst invasive pests

Fungi are important microorganisms causingmortality factors often causing drastic reductionin insect population. Gabriel (1968) recorded atleast 102 entomopathogenic fungi, some specieshave been cited by other researchers includingforeign scientists and many more awaitidentification. It is quite important to evaluatetheir pathogenecity to wide array of highlydestructive insect pests as a major componentof integrated pest management system.

Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. andMetarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sor. arefungi, which cause the disease, known as thewhite and green muscardine diseases,respectively in insects. When spores of thesefungi come in contact with the cuticle ofsusceptible insects, they germinate and growdirectly through the cuticle to the inner bodyof their host. The fungi proliferate throughoutthe insect’s body, producing toxins anddraining the insect of nutrients, eventuallykilling it. Once the fungi have killed their host,they grow back out through the softer portionsof the cuticle, covering the insect with a layerof white/green mold. This downy moldproduces millions of new infective spores thatare released to the environment. A typicalfungus isolate can attack a broad range ofinsects and various isolates differ in their hostrange.

M. anisopliae and B. bassiana areamong the most frequently isolated fungi frominsects and the most commonly used forbioassay in the Philippines. These fungi areeasily isolated and cultured in ordinary rearingmedium and had been evaluated at UPLB

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against Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis(Guenee), June beetle, Leucopholis irrotata(Chevrolat), migratory locust, Locustamigratoria manilensis Meyen, Malayan riceblack bug (RBB), Scotinophara coarctata (L.)and recently on coconut hispine beetle,Brontispa longissima (Gestro).

Several strains of the two fungi wereassayed at the National Crop Protection againstthe larvae of L. irrorata and B. bassiana wasfound to cause higher grub mortality comparedto grubs treated with M. anisopliae (Santiago,1999). Another strain of M. anisopliae wastested against locust hoppers, Locustamigratoria manilensis Meyen attackingsugarcane in two farms in Murcia, NegrosOccidental in Visayas (Santiago et al. 2001).A 95-98% locust mortality was observed withdead hoppers developing fungal growth, whichis the cause of death. Most of the hoppersdied between the 4th and 7th day after sprayingindicating that M. anisopliae is a potential bio-control agent against migratory locust.

Fifteen strains of M. anisopliae werescreened for effectiveness against the Malayanrice black bug (RBB), Scotinophara coarctata(L.), which is a highly invasive rice insect pestpresently infesting rice in Mindanao and nowwith reports in Bicol Region (Santiago andCastillo, 2001). Eight strains were originallyobtained from naturally infected RBBs found inrice fields while the remaining seven strainswere from other insects from the soil. Allstrains from RBB, except two, were found tobe highly effective against the adult RBBs.These strains killed 75 to 95% of the bugs in12 days. The most effective ones killed 50% ofthe insects in less than seven days. None ofthe other strains (from other insects or fromsoil) killed more than 40% of RBBs in 12 days.These results seem to suggest that only thosestrains from RBB are capable of causing fataldisease in RBB while those from other sourcesare less capable. The implication is that for thepurpose of developing M. anisopliae for RBBcontrol, the strain for eventualcommercialization should be selected from thoseobtained originally from the target insect.Santiago (2001) had both liquid and powderformulations of M. anisopliae, which wasfound effective against nymphs and adults ofthe invasive Malayan black bug.

Outside UPLB, Braza (1990) was able toisolate a strain of M. anisopliae from L.

irrorata, which caused 73% grub mortality.However, the fungus has a slower effect(mortality peaks occurred three weeks afterfungus infection) compared to insecticides. M.anisopliae was also found effective S.coarctata (Arida et. al., 2006). It can alsodecimate cultures of both rice plant hoppers,Nilaparvata lugens Stal and leafhoppers,Nephothetix spp. (Rombach et. al., 1994; andShepard et. al., 1987). In a study done at theBureau of Plant Industry (BPI), an isolate ofM. anisopliae from rice black bug caused 80%larval infection. M. anisopliae is already beingmass produced for field evaluation and foractual field application against Brontispalongissima (Gestro). The researchersrecommended the use of Metarhizium andBeauveria as an alternative to the use ofexpensive and hazardous chemical insecticides.

In addition, species of black earwig,Chelosochis morio and Euborellia annulata,have been found associated with B. longissimaand is currently being mass-produced andevaluated at the National Crop ProtectionCenter.

A memorandum of understanding for thetechnical working group (TWG) was preparedto facilitate sharing of resources especiallyfunds between PCA, DA, BPI and CPC, thepartners in the project. Four CPC researcherswill be involved in the project 2008-2009project on the mass production and bio-efficacy trials of several biocon agents againstB. longissima.

Plant parasitic nematodes particularly theroot-knot nematode, Meloidogyne sp. has beenthe bane of many crop plants and ornamentals.M. incognita can cause 26.40% yield loss onCavendish banana inoculated at 1,000 larvaeper plant. Although nematode can becontrolled by the application of nematicide, theinnate problem related to the pollution hazardsof chemicals has created an urgent shift for anon-chemical control measure. Biological controloffers an alternative approach against plantparasitic nematodes.

The discovery and success ofPaecilomyces lilacinus as efficient eggparasites of root-knot nematode, search forother potential biological control agents hadintensified. Nematophagous fungi such as M.anisopliae and Pennicillium oxalicum are alsobeing developed for use against nematodes.Several studies revealed the potential of these

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fungi as biological control agents. In thelaboratory percent nematode parasitism washighest on plates grown with P. oxalicum(94.3%), followed by P. lilacinus (89.4%) andthe least M. anisopliae (72%) (in tomato,eggplant and okra) (Zorilla and Castillo, 2005).The fungi were mass-produced in sterilizedcorn grits in flat bottles for three weeks in thelaboratory.

Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) againstcommon cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.)

NPV kills cutworm by attacking the larvae. Thelarva ingests the virus by feeding oncontaminated leaves or plant parts. The virusattacks and rearranges the cell structure of thecaterpillar, forming crystals, which are, basically,inanimate and incapable of maintaining life.Infected caterpillars excrete these crystallinestructures through their droppings orregurgitated fluid as a sign of stress. Whenanother caterpillar eats any plant part thatcontains these crystals, the virus will multiplyin all the internal organs and tissues of theinsect, eventually killing the larvae. Since thedigestive tract of the caterpillar is alkaline, itbreaks down the crystals releasing the nowactive virus. However, the virus is safe tohumans, including other mammals, birds, fishesand non-target insects because these are acid-based, hence, cannot mass-produce the virus.The virus is more effective than the use ofconventional insecticides. Cutworms are hardy,plentiful and healthy. Aside from theirnocturnal behavior (active during night time), itis quite difficult to hit the larvae withinsecticidal sprays especially in vigorouslygrowing plants.

In order for small farmers to benefit frompromising technologies developed in theUniversity, village-level mass production ofNPV was initiated by Mr. Mario Navasero ofNCPC, UPLB while doing research on theIntegrated Pest Management (IPM) system foreggplant in 2000 in Asingan, Pangasinan,(Luzon, Philippines). Farmers through theleadership of Mr. Modesto Gabriel, aremembers of the Bantug Samahang NayonMulti-Purpose Cooperative (BSNMPC), who areprimarily planting eggplant. Unfortunately, theyexperienced heavy S. litura infestation, whichattacked eggplant fruits and flowers. Farmerssprayed insecticides twice a week and even

sprayed a mixture or cocktail of pesticideseveryday just to produce a marketable yield.However, due to continuous spraying, still agreat proportion of the fruits were damaged byS. litura. Majority of the farmers abandonedtheir fields, while Mr. Gabriel, the chairman ofBSNMPC began picking out the S. litura byhand but soon stopped this method since itwas very tedious especially with theoverlapping canopies of 1,300 eggplants in a1,000 m2 farm. Fortunately, Mr. Navaseronoticed virus-infected cutworm larvae, whichthe group formulated and sprayed against thecutworm larvae. One week after the dilutedmixture was sprayed on 13-week old eggplants,the destructive cutworms turned sluggish, theirgreenish brown skin faded to grey brown, andthey stopped feeding. After about two to threedays, the dreaded cutworms were miraculouslybean dying before their eyes until theirpopulation dropped – without chemical spray.What amazed the farmers more is that they canactually produce the virus – from the deadbodies of infected cutworms.

To produce NPV, Mr. Gabriel gathered10 to 15 moribund and dead larvae that werestill firm and even soft-ruptured larvae.Collected larvae were macerated using a stickto squeeze out the liquefied contents. About30 to 50 ml of water was added and themixture was stirred for a few minutes andplaced in 16L capacity knapsack sprayer. SinceNPV is quite sensitive to sunlight, he sprayedin the late afternoon, making sure to wet thesurfaces of his eggplant leaves uniformly. Oneweek after spraying, many cutworms died andtheir population continued to drop evenwithout chemical spray. Infected larvae can becollected, macerated and the NPV suspensioncan be placed into screw-capped bottles andstored in the freezer of an ordinary refrigeratorto prevent spoilage and to prolong the virusinfectivity. The container should be labeled asto the number of infected larvae per bottle.Together with his entomologist wife, theytrained the other members of the cooperativeand the potential trainers, extending thetechnology to other interested farmers.To ensure that farmers would have enoughhost plants and cutworms for rearing, theyprovided mulberry cuttings as food for thecutworm, taught farmers the mass rearing ofcutworms on soybean that facilitated advancedmass production of cutworm in the laboratory.

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On the other hand, the farmers provided therearing cages, some facilities and rearing media,and became responsible for their safekeeping inthe cooperative. Because of the community’scollective efforts, the BSNMPC members arenow mass-producing and using NPV as a bio-pesticide in Barangay Bantug. They have alsoimprovised methods to produce more NPV withthe least cost, with host plants available intheir locality, and with their existing resources.

The training has established thepresence of the University in the province andearned the trust of the farmers. Mr. Navaserois collaborating with Drs. Pablito Gonzales andRizaldo G. Bayot of NCPC on using anotherNPV against tomato fruit worm, Helicovepaarmigera (Hubner). Dr. Pio Javier, also ofNCPC, had already extended the technology onthe mass rearing and utilization of earwig,Euborellia annulata (Fab.) against corn andeggplant insect pests, which the cooperative isalready mass-producing against insect pests ofcorn and vegetables.

Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner

BIOTECH researchers have found out thatmicroorganisms can also control pests anddiseases. B. thuringiensis or Bt is a bacteriumthat can produce toxins that control specificinsects that affect plants. When ingested byinsects, the toxins affect their digestive systemleading to starvation and death. They haveproduced a commercial formulation of Bt calledBactrolep, which is effective against Asiaticcorn borer and diamondback moth in crucifers.It is specific by killing only its target pests.Thus, it is safe to human beings and animals.

Plant Pesticides

Plant pesticides are pesticidal substances thatplants produce from genetic material that hasbeen added to the plant. For example,scientists can take the gene for the Btpesticidal protein, and introduce the gene intothe plant’s own genetic material. Then theplant, instead of the Bt bacterium, manufacturesthe substance that destroys the pest. Both theprotein and its genetic material are regulatedby EPA but the plant itself is not regulated.

Bt-Corn

The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA)approved the first Bt pesticidal protein, the Btcorn for propagation and import for direct usein December 2002 after almost six years of trialand safety evaluation. Bt or Bacillusthuringiensis is a common soil bacterium thatproduces its own insecticidal protein. Bt cornis a variety of corn where a specific Bt geneis inserted to produce a protein that protectsthe corn plant from feeding by Asiatic cornborer (ACB). This makes the corn plantnaturally resistant to attack by ACB. The Btprotein controls insects by disrupting theinsect’s digestive system. Once inside thealkaline gut of the target insect, the Bt proteinis activated, and binds to specific receptors.This mid-gut is punctured leaving the insectunable to eat. Within a few days, the insectdies. Since Bt corn is very specific, it wouldnot harm man. The Bt protein will only affectan organism with specific receptor sites in itsalkaline gut where the proteins can bind.Human beings and many insects lack thesereceptors. Besides, the stomach of humans isacidic.

Results of the field trials of Bt corn inthe Philippines are very promising. Harvestsfrom Bt corn were found to be about 37%higher than non-Bt counterparts. The computedyield increase between Bt and non-Bt cornranged from 1.6 to 3.4 tons/ha. This translatesto an additional profit of P10,132 per hectarewith a reduction in insecticide expenditures of60%. An incremental net income of P1.34 perkilogram was gained by the Bt-corn users,although the seed cost was twice the ordinaryhybrid. After one year of commercialization, thenet benefits to farmers in the aggregateamounted to P46.44 million. This was estimatedusing the area planted to Bt-corn and thereduction in per unit costs (Yarobe 2005).

Increased yield and decreased pesticidecost contribute to a higher net return for Btcorn farmers. It can play an important role inmaking agriculture, particularly corn, moresustainable and more productive. Since Bt cornno longer requires insecticide application forcorn borer, farmers will have more time forother farm management duties. The Philippinesimports an average of 300,000 to 500,000 metrictons of corn annually. Increased production ofyellow corn can reduce dependency on cornimportation.

Another benefit from using Bt corn is

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the marked improvements in grain qualitythrough significant reductions in the levels ofmycotoxins found in the grain. This delivers ahealth benefit to the livestock sector thatmostly consumes the corn.

The Department of Agriculture hasalways been vigilant in assuring the entry ofsafe food for the Filipino consumer. To date, ithas no basis to declare Bt corn unsafe. As apolicy, the department encourages furtherstudies to provide science-based support todifferent claims.

Area planted with Bt corn increased fromabout 120 hectares in 2002 to about 52,000hectares in 2005 with minimal increase in 2006.

Other Bt crops being worked out in thePhilippines include cotton, rice, eggplant,tomato and papaya.

Virus against Papaya Ringspot Disease

The candidate lines of the Papaya RingspotVirus-Resistant (PRSV-R) papaya are now intheir confined trial site. The planting of thefirst perennial transgenic crop in the Philippineswas conducted last February 23, 2007 at theCrop Science Cluster, Institute of PlantBreeding (CSC-IPB), College of Agriculture,UPLB (CA-UPLB). This milestone of aPhilippine government-initiated project wascarried out after the National Committee onBiosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) formallyapproved the confined trial through a letterdated February 12, 2007.

Aside from the project leaders and staff,those who attended the planning activity wereregulators from the Bureau of Plant Industry-Plant Quarantine Section (BPI-PQS), arepresentative from the Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources to theNCBP and a member of the UPLB-InstitutionalBiosafety Committee (UPLB-IBC). The presenceof these respective authorities ensures that theactivity is done in accordance to theprescribed regulations of the NCBP.

This confined trial is a research activity,which is a part of the process on thedevelopment of the transgenic resistant line.The objective of the confined trial is fordisease evaluation screening for resistance toPRSV of the candidate lines. Three candidateT3 PRSV resistant lines were planted plus thecontrol. In total, 135 inoculated T3 seedlings

plus 45 uninoculated and 45 inoculated ‘DavaoSolo’ seedlings were planted. Aside from these,64 uninoculated ‘Davao Solo’ seedlings werealso transplanted as border plants.

The project is being funded by thePhilippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry andNatural Resources Research and Development(PCARRD), Agricultural Biotechnology SupportProject (ABSP II), Economic ModernizationThrough Efficient Reforms and GovernanceEnhancement (EMERGE) and the InternationalService for the Acquisition of Agri-biotechApplications (ISAAA) (Lawas and Magdalita,2007).

Biochemical Pesticides

Biochemical pesticides are naturally-occurringsubstances that control pests by non-toxicmechanisms. Biochemical pesticides includesubstances that interfere with growth ormating, such as plant growth regulators, orsubstances that repel or attract pests, such aspheromones.

The adult mango pulp weevil,Sternochetus frigidus (Fab.) has been foundfeeding on mango flowers with peak of activityobserved at 0600-1000 h (de Jesus et al. 2003).Weevils are known to imbibe floral secretionsincluding nectar and eat pollen and other floralparts. Nectar contains a mixture of threesugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) that aredigestible to insects (Mitchell 1981).

At full-bloom stage, about 138 volatileschemicals that are emitted by mango(Mangifera indica) flowers were identified bygas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Olfactory attraction of virgin femaleweevils to 30 singe components and blends ofselected chemicals emitted by mango flowerswere tested in Y-tube bioassays. Acetic acidand decane, in concentrations equivalent to 10panicles, significantly elicited responses at66.7% when tested separately. A blend ofthese components resulted in weaker responsefrom the weevils. Further bioassays led to theidentification of a six-component blend thatwas 70% attractive to the mango pulp weevil.This blend consisted of acetic acid, decane,acetone, linalool, ethyl benzoate and 2-methylheptenone. Results of the study provide thefirst evidence for mango pulp weevil attractionto specific compounds present in its mangohost.

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Plants posses chemical compounds calledplant odors and have the ability to releasethese odors in minute quantities in surroundingair. These emitted odor substances are used byplant feeding insects as cue that could guidethem to locate these plants that they perceivedas suitable food or suitable sites to lay theireggs or brood. For example, corn plants thatare damaged by insects or even those that aremechanically injured emit more different odorsthan those that are healthy and uninjured andconsequently harbored different levels of cornborer populations. This project was conductedto look into the interaction and influence ofplant odors present over the headspace of amixed (herb/vegetable) cropping system on pestinfestation level.

Studies along this line had been startedat NCPC by Dr. S.M.F. Calumpang. Historically,plants are source of botanical pesticides orbio-pesticides which have been used in manyparts of the world especially in the Asian andAfrican countries before 1945. With theadvent of synthetic pesticides, which are quiteeffective, cheap, easy to procure and to apply,the use of bio-pesticides was neglected.However, the unilateral use of pesticides, ledto undesirable side effects, such as toxicity tonon-target organisms, appearance of pesticide-resistant pests and environmental contaminationand more recently the search for organically-grown crops, led to the revival of the searchand evaluation of potential bio-pesticides.

The Philippines is endowed with a vastarray of plants as an endless source ofecologically sound (biodegradable) and saferpest control agents which can act againstpests but spare predators, parasites and othernon-target organisms and of low mammaliantoxicity. More than 2,000 plant species havebeen reported or claimed to possess pesticidalactivity (Grainge and Ahmed 1988). In thePhilippines, plants could also be an abundantsource of active compound, which could act asinsecticides, fungicides, molluscicides,nematicides, herbicides, etc. These compoundsmay act as toxicant and/or may influence thegrowth, development, behavior, reproductionand fitness of the pests in various ways. Theutilization of plant-derived insecticides could bethe possible solution to the problemsassociated with synthetic pesticides. Some ofthese botanicals are also known as insectgrowth regulator while others act as feeding

and egg laying deterrents, and sterilants.

Insecticidal plants

Bulk of the studies on plants with insecticidalproperties was done by Dr. Belen Morallo-Rejesus, professor emeritus of the CropProtection Cluster (formerly Department ofEntomology). As of 1985, about 100 plantswere reported to be insecticidal, with not muchsignificant recent increase in the report.However, these claims are not properlysubstantiated by entomological bioassay andsome studies are not experimentally valid. Somestudies used very high dosages, field-collectedinsects of varying ages and stages, small testsamples and no control (Morallo-Rejesus, 1985).Still, these claims are quite useful in thepreliminary survey of plants with insecticidalactivity and could be assayed against insectswhere they are reported effective.

Out of 46 plants surveyed forinsecticidal activity, Morallo-Rejesus (1984)reported 34 plants to be insecticidal (supportedwith at least a crude assay on one or severalinsects). Twenty-seven plants were found toxicto at least one insect species. Most of theinsect species used for bioassay were storedproduct pests (red flour beetle, corn weevil,lesser grain borer, saw-toothed grain beetle,cowpea bean weevil, rice moth and fig moth),household pests (cockroach, housefly,mosquito), and at least 10 species ofagricultural pests.

The three most promising bio-pesticidesare the makabuhai (Tinospora rumphii Boerl.),which is effective against green leafhopper andbrown planthoppers (Leonardo 1983); marigold(Tagetes erecta and T. patula) againstdiamondback moth and green peach aphids(Morallo-Rejesus and Eroles, 1978; Morallo-Rejesus and Decena 1982) and black pepper(Piper nigrum) against diamondback mothlarvae, adult housefly, cotton stainer, cornweevil and black armyworm (Javier andMorallo-Rejesus 1986). The other promisingbiocides include oregano (Coleus amboinicus),sambong (Blumia balsamifera), Ceasalfiniapulcherima L., wild sunflower (Tithoniadiversifolia), lantana (Lantana camara),malaubi (Aristolochia tagala) and timbangan(A. tagala) (Morallo-Rejesus 1986).

The insecticidal action of water and

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organic solvent extracts of 10 plants –makabuhai, “luyang dilaw” (Curcuma longa L.),lagundi [Vitex negundo (L.)], “lagunding dagat”[Vitex trifolia (L.) Van Steem], wild sunflower,derris [Derris elliptica (Rosch.) Benth),"kakawate” (Gliricidia sepium Jacq.),“hagonoy” [Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M.King & H. Robin], “alagaw-gubat” (Premmanauseosa Blco.) and “alagaw” (Premmaodorata Blco.) were evaluated against brownplanthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal), greenleafhopper (Nephothettix sp.), diamondbackmoth (DBM) (Plutella xylostella L.) and Asiancorn borer [Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee)].Water extracts of “makabuhai” showedsystemic and ovicidal toxicities and growthinhibitory effect (IGR). “Lagundi” and wildsunflower showed contact and ovicidaltoxicities and IGR effect. Derris sp. and“luyang dilaw” showed contact and ovicidaltoxicities (Morallo-Rejesus et. al. 1993).

The insecticidal activity of diosgeninisolated from the rhizomes of three species ofgrape ginger (Costus speciosus, C. lacerus andC. globosus) on DBM was determined.Diosgenin had a low contact and ovicidalactivity but a potent insect growth regular andhigh oviposition deterrent activity. It causedlarval and pupal deformities, reduced fecundityand partial sterility. Based on the ED50(effective dose that produces 50% abnormaltest insects), crude diosgenin was more activethan purified diosgenin. The DBM parasitoid,Cotesia plutellae, was 14x less sensitive todiosgenin compared to DBM suggesting that itis safe to the parasitoid (Pipithsangchan andMorallo-Rejesus 2005).

Fungicidal plants

A total of 169 plants have been surveyed forfungicidal and bactericidal properties(Dumancas, 1976; Pordesimo and Ilag 1976;Lapis and Dumancas 1978; Mendosa 1979;Quebral 1981; Maroon 1983; Agbagala 1984;Franje 1984; and Castro 1986). Of the 98 plantsbioassayed for fungicidal activity against threecommon rice pathogens, 42 plants wereinhibitory to Helminthosporium oryzae, 22 toPyricularia oryzae and five to Rhizoctoniasolani. The plants showing fungicidal activityin at least three fungal pathogens weresummarized in Table 1. The spraying of

Tagetes erecta extracts effectively controlled H.oryzae.

In another study, 23 plants wereevaluated on nine common fungal pathogens,where eight were found inhibitory to Alternariasp., 12 to Cercospora, seven to Colletotrichumsp., four to Curvularia sp., seven to Diplodia,three to Fusarium sp. of okra, four toFusarium sp. of soybean, six toHelminthosporium sp. and seven to Pistolotiasp.

Franje (1984) found that 21 plantsshowed bactericidal activity againstXanthomonas phaseoli var. sojensis (Table 2).Two plants, Allium sativum andPseudocalumna were found inhibitory to thegrowth of both Aspergillus flavus Link andAspergillus parasiticus Speare (Castro 1986).

Nematicidal plants

The symptoms of plants infected withnematodes are galling and rotting of roots,wilting and yellowing of leaves as well asnecrotic lesion in roots and excessive rootbranching Root extract of 17 plant species wereevaluated against Meloidogyne incognita (LiThi Hoan and Davide 1979). Extracts of 14plant species suppressed egg hatching and 12plants reduced nematode infection by 95-100%.This is comparable to the effect of DBCP(Fumazone 75 EC) at 300 ppm. Sarra-Guzmanscreened solvent extracts of eight plant speciesfor toxicity against M. incognita andRadophalus similis Caff. The plant specieswere: Antocephalus chinensis (Lamb) Rich exWalp, Desmonium zangelicum (Linn.) DC,Artemisia vulgaris Linn. Eicornia crassipes(Marf.) Solm, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) deWit, Allium cepa, Allium sativum and Moringaeleifera Lam. The extracts showed no definiteindication of toxicity in emission bioassay andpathogenecity tests. The purified fractions ofA. cepa, A. chinensis and E. crassipes showedhigh toxicity to the two test nematodes.

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) secretes toxicmetabolites, alphatethienyl which preventhatching and larval development of rot-nematodes. Salay or tanglad (Lemon grass,Cymbogon winterianus), herbabuena (Menthaarvensis L.) and sambong (Blumea balsamiferaL.) were also not infected by RKNs asevidenced by the root-galling indices, meannumber of nematodes per 2g stained roots and

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Table 1. List of plants having fungicidal property against at least three fungal pathogens(Lapis and Dumancas 1978; Franje 1984; and Agbagala 1984).

Botanical Name/ Local/ Helmintho- Pyricu- Rhizoc- Collatotrichum Cercos-Common Name sporium Laria tonia Lindemu- pora

oryzae oryzae solani thianum cruenta

Allium sativum L.Garlic + + + + +

Pseudocalymna + + - + +

alliaceum (L.)Sandwitz/Garlic vine

Impatiens balsamina L.Kamantigue + + + + +

Euphorbia pucherrima + + + - +

Willd./Poinsettia

Tagetes erecta L.Marigold + + + - +

Amaranthus spinosus L.Uray + - - + +

Averrhoa bilimbi L.Kamias + + + - -

Symphutum officinaleComfrey + + - - +

Zingiber officinale RoxGinger + - - + +

mean number of nematodes recovered per 300gsoil. These plants could be used as rotationcrop or as intercrop in pechay and eggplantfields to effectively reduce the RKN population(Zorilla et. al. 2005).

Molluscicidal plants

After its introduction in 1982, about 130,946hectares lowland rice field had been damagedby the golden apple snail (Pomaceacaniculata, P. gigas, P. cuprina) in 1988,making its as the number one pest oftransplanted lowland rice in the Philippines.Farmers relied mostly on the use of syntheticmolluscicides for its immediate control.However, some of the most popularmolluscicides used at that time were the phenyltin acetate (Brestan) and other organotins,which had several side-effects and were quiteexpensive. Consequently, research on the useof potential bio-pesticides as an alternative tosnail control was initiated.

Seventeen volatile oils were evaluated for

their biotoxicity to golden snails in theconcentration range of 1-100 ppm (Maini andMorallo-Rejesus 1992). Oils of sassafras, staranise and oregano showed 100% snail mortalityat 10 and 20 ppm against young snails withoperculum diameter of 6 mm and mixedpopulation with 6-18 mm operculum diameter,respectively. Oils of lagundi, bitter almond andfennel were observed to be non-toxic to snailsat 100 ppm. Isolation of the active constituentsof these biologically active oils can be a newsource of a molluscicide for golden snailcontrol in the Philippines.

In 1997, Morallo-Rejesus and Punzalanevaluated a total of 119 water extracts andeight volatile oils from 91 plants formolluscicidal activity against the golden snail.Based on the concentrations that caused 80-100% mortality at 48 hours after treatment(HAT), 16 extracts exhibited very high toxicity(200 ppm and below), 16 of high toxicity (>200-1,000 ppm), 8 of moderate toxicity (>1,000-5,000 ppm) , 40 of low toxicity (>5,000- 10,000

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ppm) and 58 were inactive (>10,000 ppm). Inmost cases, the oils were very highly toxic(VHT) at 200 ppm. Based on LC100, the orderof decreasing toxicity of the volatile oils is:curcuma longa > Blumea balsamifera > C.zedoaria = Ocimum sanctum > cinnamomummercadoi > Zingeber officinale > Vitexnegundo > Azadirachta indica.

Herbicidal plants

Biological control of weeds generally rely onallelopathy, which is any direct or indirectharmful effect of one plant includingmicroorganisms, on another through theproduction of chemical compounds that escapeinto the environment (Rice 1974). Robles(1985) listed 13 major weeds in the Philippinesthat possess allelopathic properties. The threemost studied weeds species include Rotboelliacochinchinensis, Imperata cylindrica L.(Payawan 1968) and Pistia stratiotes L. Thewater-soluble substances from R.

cochinchinensis are found to be inhibitory toIpomoea triloba and Mimosa pudica (Payawan1968; Pamplona, 1973; Mercado and Manuel1977). The ethyl-soluble substance from theroots of P. stratiotes was found to beinhibitory to R. cochinchinensis (Mercado andRobles 1982). Advances in the biologicalcontrol of weeds in the Philippines are quiteslow due to the presence of effective andbroad spectrum synthetic herbicides.

In broader sense, bio-pesticides may alsoinclude living organisms such as insectpredators and parasitoids. These biologicalcontrol agents, which are the majorcomponents of pest management, will also bediscussed in this paper.

Parasitoids are insects that usually

Fig. 8. Trichogrammaadult parasi-tizing an eggmass.

Table 2. List of plant materials showing bactericidal activity against Xanthomonasphaseoli var. sojensis based on zone of inhibition measured at two days afterseeding.

Botanical name Common Name or Local name Allium sativum L. Bidens pilosa L. Plumiera acuminata Alt. Impatiens balsamina L. Pseudocalymna alliaceum(Lam)Sandwitz Vitex negundo L. Stachytarpheta jamaisensis Vahl. Datura metel L. Mentha arvensis L. Coleus amboinicus Lour. Lantana camara L. Andrographis paniculata L. Phyllanthus reticulatus L. Cassia alata L. Carica papaya L. Imperata cylindrica L. Amaranthus spinosus L. Mikania cordata (Bum.) B. L. Robinson Ageratum conyzoides L. Moringa eleifera L. Allium cepa L.

Garlic Burbutak Kalachuchi Kamantigue Garlic vine Lagundi Candi-candilaan Talong-punai Herba-buena Oregano Wild lantana Sinta Malinta Acapulco Papaya Cogon Uray Bicas Bulak-manok Malunggay Onion

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attack or lay their eggs on eggs or larvae oftheir host. Parasitoid generally belongs to theorder hymenoptera (wasp) and diptera (flies).It feeds internally (endoparasitoid) or externally(ectoparasitoid) on other insect’s body; it isusually smaller than the host, requires singlehost to complete its life cycle and always killsthe host.

Trichogramma (Fig. 8) is the mostwidely-used parasitoid against eggs of mostlepidopteran (moth) insect pests in thePhilippines. It can be considered abreakthrough in the suppression of hostinsects because the pest is controlled while inthe egg stage. Trichogramma wasps thrived bylaying their eggs inside the eggs of its host.The eggs of Trichogramma hatched intolarvae, which slowly consume the contents ofthe host egg. Trichogramma could complete itsdevelopment on eggs of the host in 7-9 days.Examples of Trichogramma parasitoids are T.chilonis, which parasitizes corn earworm, leaffolder, fruit borer, sugarcane borers, T.evanescens against Asian corn borer; T.japonicum against rice stem borers andTrichogrammatoidea cojuancoi against cacaopod borer.

In sugarcane where the dominant insectpests are the sugarcane borers, the major lineof defense employed by growers is with thefield releases with T. chilonis. Since theparasitoid is very effective against thesugarcane borers, seven Trichogramma rearinglaboratories were constructed by PHILSURIN,and the parasitoids are given free to growerswho are MDDC members (Javier and Gonzales2000).

Trichogramma can be efficiently mass-produced in the laboratory using eggs of ricemoth, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton asunnatural host (Gonzales and Javier 2000).

In crucifers, the diamondback moth(DBM), Plutella xylostella L. has been themost destructive, which can cause 100% yieldloss if effective control is not implemented. Tocontrol DBM, farmers common use highly toxicand broad spectrum synthetic insecticides.However, the high dosage and continuousapplication of insecticides do not totallycontrol DBM. The insect develops resistanceto practically all insecticides used at anexceptionally very short period, whichconsequently increased the production cost

and aggravated the hazards to man’s healthand the environment from the residues of thesechemicals.

The IPM to manage DBM involves thefield release of parasitoids (Cotesia plutellaeand Diadegma semiclausum) supplemented withthe spraying of microbial insecticide (Bacillusthuringiensis) based on the economic thresholdlevel (ETL) (Morallo-Rejesus and Sayaboc1992). The ETL from seedling up to mid –vegetative stage is two larvae per plant andfive larvae per plant from pre- heading stageuntil the crop is ready for harvest. Cotesia andDiadegma prefer to parasitize the second instarDBM larvae and sustain therein new eggs ofCotesia/Diadegma. The DBM larva willeventually die and a new cocoon of Cotesia orDiadegma will develop and emerge as adult.An adult Cotesia or Diadegma is capable ofparasitizing 450 DBM larvae. In thisproportion, the growth of DBM population iseasily controlled or destroyed. Thereafter, thepopulation of Cotesia or Diadegma willincrease. They will survive or remain in thefield from 12-13 days Adoption of thetechnology may reduce the frequent and costlyspraying of chemicals from 15-30 times to 4-8only. Crop yield may increase to 75%, whereasincome may increase to 40%. The technologyminimizes hazards on man’s health fromchemical residues on the vegetables and theenvironment.

Predators are biological control agentsthat are usually larger than their prey andrequire several preys to complete their lifecycle. One of the common predators, which arecommonly used in the field is the earwig,Euborellia annulata (Fab.) (Fig. 9) andProreus simulans (Stal). These earwig predatorsfeed on egg masses, young larvae andpupae of lepidoptera, coleopteran diptera andon soft bodied insects like aphids, scaleinsects, mealybugs, etc. In 2000, Morallo-Rejesus et. al. developed the technology on

Fig. 9. Euborellia annulata.

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the mass rearing of E . annulata using dogfood as its food in the laboratory. Atpresent, earwigs are being mass reared on fishmeal, which is much cheaper than the use ofdog food (Javier et. al. 2007). The earwigs arereleased in cornfields at the rate of 10,000individuals per hectare per release. They arereleased at the base of the corn plant at about25 and 32 days after planting.

The field releases of earwigs againstACB increased farmers’ income by 25% ingreen corn and 10% in open-pollinated varietyas compared with the application of syntheticinsecticides.

Since it is quite easy to mass rear thepredator, the mass production technology hadalready been disseminated to the staff of theRegional Crop Protection Centers and theDepartment of Agriculture – Regional FieldUnits (DA-RFU’s). There are reports that E.annulata is released not only in corn but alsoin eggplant and legumes, which gave positiveresults. Preliminary investigations at UPLBrevealed that earwigs are also effective incontrolling insect pests of eggplant andlegumes. However, the plants should bemulched since the predators prefer moistconditions and they generally stay in the soilduring daytime and search for their prey duringnighttime (Javier and Navasero 2005).

The flower bug, Orius tantillus(Motschulsky) is another dominant andeffective predator encountered in cornagroecosystem feeding on eggs masses andlarvae of ACB, earworm and otherlepidopterous pests (Javier and Morallo-Rejesus2003). In cornfields, the population of thispredator could be conserved by maintaining/

planting the weed species, spiny amaranth,Amaranthus spinosus, which served as itsrefuge. Higher population of Orius andspiders were monitored in cornfields, where A.spinosus are maintained along the borders(Table 3).

O. tantillus has been extensively studiedas predator of Thrips palmi Karny (Mituda andCalilung 1989; Calilung 1995; Calilung et al.1998; Navasero 1996; and Navasero andCalilung 1997). Although the predator couldbe mass-reared in the laboratory, rearing isquite difficult and expensive. Therefore, fieldrearing on A. spinosus seemed more practical(Navasero and Rejesus 2000). A good stand ofA. spinosus can support the development of asmany as 150 nymphs and adult Orius perplant. An initial plot size of 100m2, highdensity planting of A. spinosus at 1 x 0.5 mplanting distance is sufficient for a start. Atthe onset of flowering, adult Orius that areinitially reared in the laboratory or stocks frominflorescence of volunteer plants near the cornfields are collected and released in 100 m2 A.spinosus.

Predatory mites

Research on the biological control of mites isfocused on the family Phytoseiidae, since theyare the most effective and widespreadpredators of injurious plant-feeding mites. Anumber of species are now used as biologicalcontrol agents and several have attainedcommercial status abroad. However, in thePhilippines, phytoseiids or any other group ofpredatory mites, are still underutilized and littleis known about their biology.

Amblyseius longispinosus (Evans) is oneof the most common Phytoseiid mites in thePhilippines, which has been reported on widerange of fruit crops, field crops andornamentals (Corpuz-Raros 1989; and Schichaand Corpuz-Raros 1992). The effectiveness ofA. longispinosus as natural enemy of variousplant-feeding mites has been evaluated by anumber of researchers worldwide. In thePhilippines, it has received some researchattention as an important biological controlagent against Tetranychus kanzawai (Kishida),an important spider mite attacking cassava.Current effort is directed toward developing amass rearing technique with long-term goal ofproviding end-users with locally available,effective and cheap predatory mites for the

Table 3. Influence of maintaining A.spinosus on the population of Oriusand spider in corn (Javier andMorallo-Rejesus 2003).

Crop Weed # Orius # SpidersCombination

Corn + 134 23 Amaranthus 119 98Corn alone 70 21

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control of various plant feeding mites (deLeon-Facundo and Corpuz-Raros 2005).

OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING OR MARKETOUTLETS OF BIO-FERTILIZERS

AND BIO-PESTICIDES

Several training courses and workshops havealready been conducted to disseminate andtransfer the biofertilizer technologies to targetclientele. Training workshops started in 1988.Initially the topics include basic techniques onisolation and identification of potentialmicrobial-based fertilizers. At present, topicsinclude the handling, quality control and on-farm application of the different inoculants.Trainings, lectures and seminars are conductedupon request to the director.

The different products are being sold atBIOTECH Sales office but for market outlets,anybody can enter into a distributor agreementwith UPLB.

Among the different bio-fertilizers, BIO-Nis so far the most popular, and one of themost effective technologies UPLB hasproduced, a fertilizer that has outshone allother organic fertilizers in the country and hasgiven multinational companies selling inorganicfertilizers a run for their money.However, during its infancy in 1985, BIO-N didnot get much attention as a technology. It wasonly through a series of demonstration trialsconducted by BIOTECH through Dr. MercedesU. Garcia (developer of BIO-N) especially inLaguna, Quezon, Rizal and Isabela and by aprivate individual in Cebu that BIO-N becamepopular.

To encourage extensive support andpatronage of BIO-N by farmers even inmarginal and remote areas, radio plugs and TVinterview were produced and broadcast in radioand TV stations. The team also intensifiedinformation dissemination through nationaland local newspapers. As a result of theteam’s hard work, collaboration and linkageswere established with different government andnon-government organizations.

With BIO-N already a proventechnology, the task of persuading farmers ofits benefits rests on a team that is overseeingits dissemination. The team got enormoussupport of a Php11.2 M grant from theDepartment of Agriculture to implement the“National Program on the Production and

Utilization of BIO-N for Sustainable Productionof Agricultural Crops” in 2001. Extensionactivities were strengthened so that farmersmay benefit from BIO-N. Mixing plants for BIO-N were also established in different regions inthe Philippines to meet farmers’ demand for theproduct.

Because of the sustained interest andthe growing demand for BIO-N, UPLB throughBIOTECH has entered into agreements in 2004with various agencies that would help makethe technology easily available in theprovinces. UPLB entered into a joint venturewith the Technology Livelihood and ResourceCenter (TLRC) to improve BIO-N productionfacilities. The project had generated substantialrevenues to profitably sustain its businessmandate. Due to positive feedback and successstories of farmers of the DA’s GinintuangMasaganang Ani (GMA) corn program, Dr.Artemio Salazar provided funds to the differentcorn producing regions to finance theestablishment of 32 BIO-N mixing plants. Atotal of ten mixing plants were operating instrategic corn cluster areas. The primaryobjective is to ensure the steady supply ofBIO-N and reduce the production cost incurredby corn farmers. UPLB also entered into anagreement with SUMMA BiotechnologiesCorporation allowing the latter to produce,market and distribute BIO-N in Agusan delNorte, Caraga Region and Region 10 within tenyears.

In 2005, the team of Dr. Garcia hadtrained 1,385 model farmers, agriculturaltechnicians and development managers fromdifferent regions. After the training, they weregiven free BIO-N for demonstration trials intheir own farms.

A private company is alreadycommercially producing BIO-N as “Vital-N”, andaggressively promoting the product. What isimportant is that thousands of marginal farmershave realized that BIO-N reduces farm costsand it enhances sustainable agriculturalpractices.

The experiences in developing BIO-N,the strategies and approaches and success inthe promotion and acceptance of thetechnology are worthwhile looking into.

The effectiveness of NPV and Bt isolateshad been fully documented by Dr. LeodegarioPadua of BIOTECH, UPLB. In fact, several

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companies are eyeing to commercialize theproduct but based on the market demand,commercialization is generally not feasible.

A fungal pathogen found highlyeffective against parasitic nematode wascommercialized by a multinational company.Unfortunately, there were some technicalproblems concerning intellectual property rights(IPR).

The active principles responsible for theinsecticidal activity of at least three botanicalpesticides had already been identified but notone had been registered with the Fertilizer andPesticide Authority (FPA) of the Philippines.The high cost of labor coupled with theregulatory constraints and the problems withformulations and marketing slowed down theadvancement of bio-pesticides in thePhilippines.

CONCLUSION

There is very bright prospect on the use ofbio-fertilizers since it is very cheap, easy touse, safe and do not require repeatedapplications. The single application of some ofthe bio-fertilizers can substitute about 30 to100% of the inorganic fertilizer requirements ofthe crop. In addition, these bio-fertilizersenhance plant growth rendering them tolerantto pests and some are indeed being used asbio-pesticides. With the exception of Bio-N, themajor limitation with majority of these bio-fertilizers is their availability outside UPLB.Registration of these bio-fertilizers with theFertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) will notbe as rigid as the bio-pesticides.

In general, biopesticides such as the M.anisopliae, B. bassiana, P. lilacinus andBacillus thuringiensis and even the use ofparasites and predators are still unpopular toour small farmers. On the other hand, plants asbiopesticides will face stiff competition with thefast-acting synthetic pesticides. However, sincethe cost of synthetic pesticides is highlyprohibitive nowadays, coupled with itsunwanted side-effects, the use of bio-pesticideswill be a welcome alternative to the use ofchemicals. The area-wide utilization of bio-pesticides could be enhanced if village-levelmass production and utilization of thistechnology will be aggressively extended to

our farmers by the local government unitsthrough organized integrated pest managementprograms.

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