The Provincial Agriculturist’s Office sent four of its technical personnel for an intensive training on micropropagation, disease indexing and package of technology for banana production at the Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Phillipines – Los Baños on May 7-11, 2019.

The capacitation of its staff on banana tissue culture production is in line with PAgO’s goal of operationalizing its newly constructed tissue culture laboratory located at the Provincial Demo Farm in Merit, Victoria. Its operationalization is vital in sustaining high quality and disease-free banana planting materials especially that banana and saba in particular is a major commodity of the province.

Experts from IPB led by Dr. Olivia P. Damasco, presented a series of lectures and practical exercises on banana diseases and indexing, preparation of stock and media solutions, sterilization and aseptic techniques, collection of planting materials, establishment of initial cultures, sub-culture techniques for micropropagation and rooting, and potting out and nursery management. The training team also includes Dr. Fe M. Dela Cueva, Mr. Jonathan C. Descalsota and Ms. Michelle Lyka S. Valle both University Researchers at the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB).

Experts from IPB led by Dr. Olivia P. Damasco, presented a series of lectures and practical exercises on banana diseases and indexing, preparation of stock and media solutions, sterilization and aseptic techniques, collection of planting materials, establishment of initial cultures, sub-culture techniques for micropropagation and rooting, and potting out and nursery management. The training team also includes Dr. Fe M. Dela Cueva, Mr. Jonathan C. Descalsota and Ms. Michelle Lyka S. Valle both University Researchers at the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB).

The four PAgO staff who took the training are Ms. Manilyn Albania, Ms. Sharmaine Cruzado, Ms. Ednalyn Dimaano and Mr. John Mark Malaza. PAgO’s tissue culture facility is expected to operationalize within the year.