CROP VARIETIES

• MMSU Glut 1: Improved Honey Corn for yield and chichacorn processing

  MMSU Glut 1 is a glutinous corn variety derived from honey corn which was planted by farmers for cornick processing. It is an improved variety through simple recurrent method used by researchers. It yields 20.93% higher than the original honey corn and it has 81% recovery when cooked into chichacorn, more popped and lesser cooking time required by 3 to 4 hours.

  This is a registered variety at the National Seed Industry Council as Recommended for Commercial Release (RCR) for Luzon. With the development of MMSU Glut 1, farmers have now an alternative variety to plant for cornick production providing them more profits.

• Promising yam accessions

  Yam particularly Dioscorea esculenta locally-known as tugui is one of the cash crops cultivated by farmers in the upland areas of Ilocos Norte. Productivity, however, is low which possible contributory factor is the absence of recommended high-yielding varieties.

  There are six tugui accessions in Ilocos Norte identified as promising in terms of yield and acceptability to consumers. Their yield ranges from 14.87 to 17.71 t/ha surpassing the national, regional and provincial average yield of 3.24 to 4.41 t/ha.

  The tuber weight ranges from 61.44 to 80.64 g and number of tubers is from 11.93 to 14.27.

  In an organoleptic evaluation done, consumers rated these accessions acceptable to very acceptable.

  With the identification of promising tugui accessions, farmers particularly in the upland areas are provided with information on what specific variety would they plant in order to increase productivity of tugui. Planting the identified high-yielding varieties would increase yield from 2 t/ha to 14 t/ha.

• Recommended Sweet Potato Varieties in the Ilocos

  The technology is a result of a three year evaluation period of eleven sweet potato varieties to select suitable for rainfed and acceptable cultivars for the Ilocos. Among the recommended varieties evaluated are PSB Sp1, PSB SPP 17, PSB Sp 19, NSIC Sp 9, NSIC Sp 25, NSIC Sp 31, VSP 16, UPL Sp 11, and MMSU Sp 1.

  These varieties have yield advantage of 11.54% to 44.31% over the farmer's variety and are more delicious and sweeter particularly NSIC Sp 9 and MMSU Sp 1.

• Special Rice Varieties/Lines for the Ilocos

  The information is a result of the adaptability trials conducted for two wet season croppings (2010-2011) to identify suitable varieties/lines under favorable rainfed lowland condition in Ilocos Norte. Varieties/lines such as Burdagol, MS 6, Matatag 32, OM 4900, HD402, and Balatinaw are found to be suitable.

  Special rices command higher price than ordinary rice and can be an option for farmers to grow to obtain higher profit.

• Indigenous Food Plants in Ilocos Norte

  The Province of Ilocos Norte is rich in indigenous food plants (IFPs) which are continually sustaining the food requirements of many of its upland and remote communities, especially among the tribal groups such as the Isneg, Igorot, Yapayao and Tingguian. A total of 46 IFPs representing 28 plant families were identified. Majority of them are wild species; the others are landraces or native varieties of cultivated crops. The identified IFPs are important plant genetic resources (PGR) contributing to food sufficiency, nutrition and supplementation of household income in the study sites. These plants are prepared mainly as vegetable dishes; sometimes as flavoring, spice or garnishing; or as delicacy or snack. Ethnobotanical data indicate that the plants have become an integral part of the people's daily diet, adapting to a wide range of geomorphic and soil conditions.

CROP PRODUCTION, MANAGEMENT, AND POST-HARVEST

• Improved cultural management practices for yam

  This technology was developed using the identified promising tugui accessions. Increased productivity of tugui is likely attained following the recommended technology, features of which include from selection of planting materials to harvesting.

  Following the recommended management practice would give 138% increase in yield. Aside from the increase in yield, one of the most important features of the improved cultural management practice is the fact that farmers no longer have to do shifting cultivation, popularly known as slash and burn, a common practice among uplanders which is very detrimental to forest resources. With the recommended technology on fertilizer management, farmers can now settle to an area and plant their tugui crops year after year without fear of impending yield decrease.

• Production Technology of Kapas-kapas

  The technology involves the production of kapas-kapas in a cultivated land. It is a package of technology from production of seedlings and cultural management to enhance the productivity of this vegetable. Kapas-kapas can be propagated through cuttings using root hormone and indigenous rooting media. More so, it can be successfully cultivated.

  With this technology, kapas-kapas seedlings are now available and can be planted in backyards, thus, providing household in the lowlands with readily available vegetables of this type.

  It commands high price in the market, thus, giving farmers an additional source of income.

• Production Technology of Sugod-sugod

  The technology involves the production of planting materials through seed and vegetative parts and the cultural management using organic fertilizer to enhance its productivity.

  Sugod-sugod can be propagated through seeds and cuttings using root hormone and indigenous rooting media. It can also be cultivated in backyards or cultivated land.

  Knowing that sugod-sugod has the highest concentration of carotene in any fruit or vegetable, the urge of having it within the reach of households has driven MMSU to develop this technology. With this, every households has the opportunity to have this vegetable at their own backyards and even engage in massive production.

• Botanical Materials for the Control of Anthracnose Disease of Mango

  The technology focuses on alternative methods of control using botanical materials against anthracnose disease of mango. Three kinds of plants garlic, malunggay and neem are tested for their effectiveness in anthracnose control.

  The use of these botanical materials is a potential IPM strategy for the control of anthracnose of mango. These materials are natural products and biodegradable, hence, safe to humans and the environment. Aside from that, it is readily available in the farm.

• In-vitro Multiplication Techniques for Garlic

  The development of protocol for the in-vitro multiplication of garlic paved the way for the production of a disease-free garlic planting materials. Through this, the problem on garlic planting materials can now be solved. With this technology, yield of tissue culture-derived bulbs is superior over conventional planting materials when subjected to adverse environmental condition and they are more tolerant to purple blotch and tangle top.

• Cropping calendar for different agro-ecological zone

  The cropping calendar is developed based from the studies on variability of rainfall and temperature in Ilocos Norte. The calendar features cropping pattern recommendations for each type of ecological zone: submerge-prone lowlands, drought-prone lowlands, and upland areas.

  The cropping calendar is a decision support system for crop production management that is useful tool to minimize the risk in farming and helpful for agricultural planning and operation.

• Modified Atmosphere Packaging for Vegetables

  The technology features the use of a Polyethylene bag with diffusion holes to prolong shelf life of pechay, winged bean and okra. Using this technology, the shelf life of okra, winged bean and pechay is extended. Weight loss is minimal and shriveling is prevented. Pechay leaves remain marketable for 3-5 days. For okra, shelflife of fruits is extended for 10 days at ambient temperature while for winged bean, the remained marketable until 10 days at ambient temperature

  The use of modified atmosphere packaging is an inexpensive method to prolong the shelf life of vegetables by preventing the loss of moisture thus minimizing weight loss, shriveling and maintaining the freshness of the vegetables.

ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRY

• Centralized power control: An energy management system

  A low-cost Centralized Power Controller (CPC) was developed and pilot tested at the MMSU College of Engineering in response to the government's mandate of 10% reduction in energy consumption. It is composed of an intelligent switch module, personal computer, bluetooth capable cellular phone, sensor modules and UTP cables.

  The use of the CPC can save about 2.09 kWhr or Php 20.90 per day when turning off a 2-HP air-conditioning unit (ACU) during lunch break. This can translate to about 265.19 kWhr or Phpan 2,651.90 savings per month for six ACUs connected to the CPC. The cost of CPC installation is Php 14,300.00 with a payback period of about 5 months.

• E-kawayan technology/Bamboo Processing Technology

  The Engineered-Kawayan technology involves the process of transforming bamboos into unique, exquisite and elegantly crafted furnitures and novelties. The process uses different bamboo machines fabricated by MMSU. The processes in the production of E-Kawayan products are the following:

  • Appropriate time of harvesting poles as raw materials
  • Drying using a bamboo Kiln Dryer
  • Splitting using the Splitting Machine
  • Thickness sizing using the Thickness sizer
  • Rough sanding using the double disk sander
  • Gluing using a vertical and horizontal press machine during drying
  • Bending for bended materials
  • Re-sizing - using the jointer-thickness plane machine
  • Final sanding using a portable finishing sander
  • Top coat application

  This technology provides opportunity for the bamboo industry to flourish as a productive enterprise.

• Utilization of Junked Refrigerator into Portable Dryer and Smoke House

  This is an improvement of the MMSU 4-in-1 portable smoke processor which was designed to process smoke fish and other food products.

  The device was fabricated using 2 units refrigerator boxes 4 ft high and 2 ft wide. Other materials used were stainless sheet, stainless steel and angle bars. The boxes served as the framework of the dryer and smoke device with individual thermometer and chimney on top with throttle valve to monitor and control the inside temperature. The lower portion of the box was cut to fit the fuel chamber. Each box is provided with built-in racks and 6 sliding trays that can be loaded 20 kg of dried fish and 20 kg of smoke fish. A duct is constructed between the boxes which serve as conveyor of heat and smoke toward the smoking box.

  Compared to the 4-in-1 smoke processor, the new device is more economical in terms of conservation materials and easier to fabricate. Cost of materials for the 4-in-1 smoke processor is Php 27,000.00 while the recycled refrigerator boxes is only Php 15,000.00. For processing of products, the new device can dry other food products and at the same time smoke fish while the 4-in-1 portable smoke processor is concentrated only on the smoking process.

  For its commercial viability, entrepreneurs could very well be benefited since the cost of fabrication is cheaper than the 4-in-1 smoke processor. An ordinary welder can replicate the device without the assistance of the researcher. In terms of financial analysis, it has only 1 year payback period. For the 4-in-1 portable smoke processor, payback period is 3 years.