FARMER-members of the Masasa Irrigators Association, Inc. (MIAI) in Brgy. San Juan, Tingloy, Batangas, underwent training on the science and application of Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP), initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Batangas in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Tingloy, Batangas (LGU-Tingloy). The training was held at Brgy. San Juan, Tingloy, Batangas on Oct. 19.
The training aimed to capacitate the farmer-members of MIAI in the use of Carrageenan PGP, in preparation for the implementation of the DOST-Batangas-funded community-based project for MIAI, entitled “Improvement and Inducement of Rice Growth and Defense Mechanisms through Application of the Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP) in the Rice Fields of Masasa Irrigators Association, Inc. in Brgy. San Juan, Tingloy, Batangas.” The project aims to improve rice growth and induce rice defense mechanisms in the rice fields of MIAI through the application of Carrageenan PGP, thus increasing their productivity and mitigating diseases and setbacks.
Carrageenan PGP is a plant food supplement extracted from red seaweeds and degraded through gamma irradiation, which is well-known for eliciting plant growth. It is currently registered as an inorganic fertilizer by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, with the DOST Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) as the licensed manufacturer.
The training covered discussions on what carrageenan is, the types of nutrients it contains, the components of Carrageenan PGP, its benefits, the research results of the application of Carrageenan PGP, and its science-based application. Mr. Eduardo C. David, the research technician of VVZ Corporation, a licensed technology adopter of DOST-PNRI’s Carrageenan PGP, facilitated the training.
The deployment of 540 liters of Carrageenan PGP, funded under the DOST-Batangas’ project for MIAI, is scheduled for this November. This volume can be used for an estimated 11 cropping seasons or equivalent to 5 years for the association’s 10-hectare rice field.
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