BAR TODAY || Official Quarterly Publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research

13 sacks of palay for P60
by Marianne Medina, BIOTECH, UPLB

October-December 2000
Volume 2 No. 4

For Mang Urso Agbada, his P60 went a long way. It earned him 13 additional sacks of palay. Mang Urso is one of the many farmers who benefited from using BIO-N on his rice crop. "BIO-N did not only increase my harvest," attests Mang Urso who is a rice and vegetable farmer in Paete, Laguna, "but it also helped me save costs on chemical fertilizers."

Mang Urso first heard about BIO-N in an outreach seminar conducted by BIOTECH in Paete. Researchers from the Institute introduced an array of bio-products that can help farmers increase their harvests. "BIO-N caught my interest because the product is applicable to rice," narrates Mang Urso. "But I did not expect much. I only bought two packets thinking that it was like the chemical fertilizers usually promoted by sales agents of private companies - too much promise but less, sometimes disappointing results," Mang Urso stated.

But after applying BIO-N to his rice seedlings, Mang Urso was immediately impressed.

BIO-N is an organic fertilizer for rice and corn developed in BIOTECH, UPLB. It is a microbial inoculant made with a bacterium called Azospirillum. It helps the plant fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and was made through the leadership of Dr. Mercedes Garcia.

Nitrogen is one of the main nutrients required by plants. Although the atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, plants cannot readily utilize the gas as nutrient. It has to be converted into a form that can be used by the plants. Traditionally, farmers apply chemical nitrogen like urea to their crops. But sometimes, chemical fertilizers do more harm than good. Synthetic fertilizers can make the soil acidic, degrading its fertility. In the long run, it can pollute the soil, air and water table. Aside from these, most of the chemical fertilizers available in the country, particularly urea, are imported. With the current peso-dollar exchange rates, the prices of these fertilizers are exorbitant for farmers.

What's the advantage then of using BIO-N? BIO-N provides the nitrogen needed by plants without harming the environment. The Azospirillum in BIO-N converts the nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form that can be readily used by the plant. Rice and corn plants become robust with BIO-N. Furthermore, since microorganisms, like bacteria, are natural components of the environment, BIO-N does not damage the soil. Most of all, it helps increase the harvest.

And the cost? It is cheaper than chemical fertilizers because it is made from local materials. The bacterium in BIO-N can be found in the common talahib. Farmers can save a considerable amount by substituting or supplementing BIO-N with chemical nitrogen. A bag of urea now costs P400. A pack of BIO-N only costs P30 and is enough to apply to 20kg. of rice or 3kg. corn seeds. In one hectare, a farmer will need only five packs of BIO-N. "With BIO-N, I noticed that my rice plants were healthier, greener, and the grains heavier," Mang Urso avers. "To prove the effects of BIO-N. I planted two croppings of rice - on one I applied the two packs of BIO-N," he stated. "When harvest time came, I realized that I should have applied BIO-N to both of the croppings," Mang Urso declared. "I got 13 more cavans of palay from the cropping applied with BIO-N; and for a farmer like me, these additional 13 cavans are a lot of help," Mang Urso stated. BIO-N has been tested in different parts of the country: Isabela, Ilocos Provinces, Laguna, Mindoro, Quezon, Bicol, and Cebu. In addition to increased harvests, farmers from these areas concur that BIO-N does not make their lands itch as chemical fertilizers do. It is also easy to use.

(For more information, please contact Marianne Medina at tel. nos. (049)536-1620, 536-2721/23/25)