News
> Bioversity-BAR-UPLB banana project wins NAST Best Scientific Poster Award
Bioversity-BAR-UPLB banana project wins NAST Best Scientific Poster Award
10 July 2008
Dr. Felipe dela Cruz, Bioversity International-Philippines
A joint project by the Bioversity International-Philippines, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), titled "Introduced Bananas: New Cultivars, More Options for Banana Growers" won the Best Scientific Poster Award under agricultural sciences category during the recently concluded 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology I(NAST). The scientific meeting was held at the Manila Hotel on 10 July 2008. The annual scientific meeting is a prestigious national scientific conference that recognizes outstanding achievements in science and technology.
The poster featured the study authored by Felipe S. dela Cruz, Jr. (UPLB), Lavernee S, Gueco (UPLB), Olivia P. Damasco (UPLB), Visitacion C. Huelgas (UPLB), Fe. M. dela Cueva UPLB), Teodora O. Dizon (UPLB), Vida Grace O. Sinohin (Bioversity), and Agustin B. Molina Jr (Bioversity).
The project was funded by DA-BAR wherein it presented results of a field trial at the Central Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture involving banana hybrids introduced from the Musa Germplasm International Transit Centre in 2000.
Six introduced hybrids (FHIA 01, 02, 17, 18, 23 and 25), and six local cultivars (Cuarenta Dias, Cavendish, Latundan, Cardaba, Lakatan-Davao, and Lakatan -Cavite) were evaluated in terms of yield and yield characteristics, visual and organoleptic acceptability, and reaction to the banana bunchy top virus.
Another project funded by DA-BAR and implemented by UPLB and Bioversity International, titled "Role of healthy-looking Saba and other alternate hosts on the spread of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD)" was presented during the event. The proponents of the study were FM dela Cueva, EG Dinglasan, TO Dizon, FS dela Cruz Jr., OP Damasco, LS Gueco, and AB Molina. 
