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ISU embarks on sweet sorghum and pigeon pea commercialization
by Miko Jazmine J. Mojica

sweet sorghum

The Isabela State University (ISU) is now bent on the commercialization of its high-value crop-related technologies developed by its researchers and scientists in the field of agriculture.

With funding support from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Dr. Romeo Quilang, ISU president and his researchers, embarked on a two-year Technology Upscaling Program for Sweet Sorghum and Pigeon Pea in Isabela.

The program, which started last year, is adopting improved varieties of sweet sorghum and pigeon pea that were earlier found suitable in the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte, and the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC), respectively. The program aims to demonstrate and promote the production of sweet sorghum and pigeon pea to increase the productivity and income of farmers not only in Isabela but in other provinces of Region 2 as well.

pigeon pea

In the progress report submitted to the Bureau by ISU, it stated that initial planting were done in early July and mid August last year in time for the rainy season. Dr. Edwin Macaballug, project leader for pigeon pea, and Prof. Raul B. Palaje, project leader for sweet sorghum, were allotted at least 1-ha each within the ISU premises to plant their respective crops to produce high quality seeds for distribution to farmers in Region 2.

The program plans to put up five-hectare technology demonstration farm per crop and conduct field days to fast track the adoption of sweet sorghum and pigeon pea in the Region. The program leaders believe that the commercial production of these crops is a good alternative to increase farmer's income as it will also transfer technologies on the processing of the crops into various by-products at the village level. They are also incorporating technical assistance on marketing to create a demand for the commodity.

While the production of sweet sorghum seeds is also eyed as feedstock for bioethanol and as grains for poultry feed, the program leaders observed that the production of seeds has become challenging because of the critical bird damage causing significant losses on grain yield.

“We tried bagging the panicles, which is effective and environmentally sound but it is expensive. In India, they have also been experiencing bird damage but the infestation is lesser than what we are experiencing,” the program leaders lamented. To resolve this, they are planning to replicate India's noise-making equipment used to scare birds away from the crops.

To emphasize the prospects of generating rural small enterprise, the program is promoting the production of organic food products from sweet sorghum such as vinegar, wine, and jaggery while waiting for the establishment of distillery by private sectors. The program leaders reported that actual jaggery and vinegar production have already been conducted in trade fairs they have participated in the region. On pigeon pea, the program leaders said that it is best eaten as fresh vegetable while the grain could be sold as feeds as substitute for cowpea.

“The encouraging initial finding of the study conducted to control stemborer with the use of predatory earwigs and bio-nutrient extracts will be integrated into the package of technology for the on-farm trials being conducted by10 farmer-cooperators in San Pablo, Tumauini, and San Mariano in Isabela. The vermi-compost is also used for the balance fertilization in the production of sweet sorghum and pigeon pea,” the progress report says.

The program is conducted in cooperation with the India-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit 2, farmer associations, cooperatives, non-government organizations (NGOs), and local government units (LGUs) in the region.