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Friday, March 29, 2024

Queen pineapple farmers learn new propagation technique

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Baybay City, Leyte—About 700 queen pineapple farmers from Region 8 were introduced to a propagation technique called embryogenesis technology to improve their productivity.

“With somatic embryogenesis, one explant can produce up to 10,000 plantlets of queen pineapple,” explained Dr. Luz Moreno of Visayas State University to the farmers during the technology forum held at the VSU convention center here on Friday.

This is compared with only five to 10 planting materials derived from one plant through the conventional propagation materials such as suckers, crown, and slips, Moreno added.

“The technology enables to produce ready-to-plant seedlings 8-10 months earlier that the traditional queen pineapple suckers,” she told the farmers.

The quality of the present queen variety of pineapple in terms of size and desirable fruit characteristics will also improve, Moreno said.

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Technology forums were conducted in the last day of the 3-day “Queen Pineapple FIESTA (Farmers Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda)” organized by the Visayas Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Program (ViCARP) in celebration of its 40th anniversary.

Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) and ViCARP are jointly implementing a program which aims to increase and stabilize the income of marginalized and subsistent queen pineapple farmers.

PCAARRD provided P31 million fund for research program enhancing productivity and marketability of queen pineapple.

The program also develops various products from queen pineapple wastes as coal feedstock and bran as feed supplement for native chicken.

Queen pineapple farmers from Leyte, Samar, and Camarines Norte are the beneficiaries of the PCAARRD and ViCARP project.

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