DA told farmers to adopt better pest management vs tungro virusBY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL / Manila Bulletin / Panay News
Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez (second from right) talks on the provincial government plans to eradicate the rat and tungro virus infestation. Joining him in Kapihan sa Latte are local agriculture officials led by acting Provincial Agriculturist William Castillo (second from left) / PHOTO BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan – Amid reports of massive crop disease and pest infestation in Aklan, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap urged local rice farmers to adopt better pest management practices to eradicate the infestation.
Yap said the massive information campaign for farmers could effectively minimize the effects of infestation, especially rats and tungro virus, in palay-producing municipalities in Aklan.
“We urged the farmers and the local officials to plan the planting. It should be a cultural planting habit to deprive pests of food. The Department of Agriculture (DA) will train the farmers on how to program their planting and harvest schedule. We will distribute also better seed varieties in the next planting season to control the infestation,” he said.
DA regional director Larry Nacionales reported to Yap that some 2,000 hectares of rice lands have been attacked by rats and tungro virus in Aklan.
“The local farmers should also seek the help of municipal agriculture officers for crop production and pest management practices to break the infestation,” Yap said.
According to the Philippine Rice Institute, tungro is caused by the rice tungro bacciliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). The infestation is characterized by spotted leaves, mild to severe stunting, mild yellowing of leaves, and yellow to orange leaves of the rice plants.
DA officials said the only means of transmission of tungru virus is through the green leafhopper that feeds on young and susceptible rice plants.
In 2008, palay production went down by 8.7 percent from 141,574 metric tons in 2007 to only 129,258 in the province, mainly due to typhoon and pest infestation.
William Castillo, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), said the provincial government is also extending assistance to rice farmers to contain the pest infestation in Aklan.
Yap said the massive information campaign for farmers could effectively minimize the effects of infestation, especially rats and tungro virus, in palay-producing municipalities in Aklan.
“We urged the farmers and the local officials to plan the planting. It should be a cultural planting habit to deprive pests of food. The Department of Agriculture (DA) will train the farmers on how to program their planting and harvest schedule. We will distribute also better seed varieties in the next planting season to control the infestation,” he said.
DA regional director Larry Nacionales reported to Yap that some 2,000 hectares of rice lands have been attacked by rats and tungro virus in Aklan.
“The local farmers should also seek the help of municipal agriculture officers for crop production and pest management practices to break the infestation,” Yap said.
According to the Philippine Rice Institute, tungro is caused by the rice tungro bacciliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). The infestation is characterized by spotted leaves, mild to severe stunting, mild yellowing of leaves, and yellow to orange leaves of the rice plants.
DA officials said the only means of transmission of tungru virus is through the green leafhopper that feeds on young and susceptible rice plants.
In 2008, palay production went down by 8.7 percent from 141,574 metric tons in 2007 to only 129,258 in the province, mainly due to typhoon and pest infestation.
William Castillo, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), said the provincial government is also extending assistance to rice farmers to contain the pest infestation in Aklan.
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