FIDA utilizes biological agents to combat twin abaca diseases

LEGAZPI CITY -- With more than 17,000 hectares of infected abaca plantations, the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) has come up with a study to use biological agents to control the spread of two abaca plant diseases -- bunchy-top and mosaic -- which is continuing to threaten the abaca industry in the Bicol Region.

Ramon Borromeo, FIDA regional director, said there are 17,411.81 or 33 percent number of hectares of abaca which are infected with bunchy-top and mosaic. There are about 52,664 hectares planted to abaca in the region.

"The aim of the project is to collect and identify the different biological agents which can be used with other pest management strategies against aphid vectors -- agents which are capable of transmitting a pathogen from one organism to another," Borromeo told The STAR during an interview at his office inside the Bicol University compound.

Bunchy-top is an abaca plant disease which is indicated by the malformations of the leaves and pseudostem with the leaves, especially the young ones, are generally yellowish and/or whitish while in the mosaic, the color of the leaves changes from dark green to light green or yellowish. Upon closer inspection, the streaks may have a rusty color on the blade, midrib and petiole of the leaf.

Specifically, the project has the following objectives: to collect and identify potential biological agents, parasites and predators against the aphid vectors of abaca viruses; to develop a scheme for mass-rearing technique and to determine the biological efficacy of promising agent against the aphid vectors both in the laboratory and field condition.

The FIDA-UPLB study entitled "Development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Sustainable Abaca Production with Emphasis on Biological Control/Cultural Management" headed by Editha O. Lomerio, supervising agriculturist, started the study on September 1997 with a survey, collection and identification of possible biological agents in different abaca growing areas in the Bicol Region, including Baguio City and in La Trinidad, Benguet. The study was finished September last year.

The collected aphids were then reared in cages and allowed to multiply. If was found out that the Scymnus sp., taken from the madre de cacao plant, was observed to feed on the aphids.