RP scientist wins award in Beijing

The scientific report of a Filipino lady scientist was adjuged as the Best Research paper at the 18th conference of the Asia-Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS) held recently in Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

The paper was presented by Dr. Madonna Casimero of the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-Philrice). Co-authors were A.M. Baltazar, J.S. Manuel, S.R. Obien and S.K. De Datta.

Dr. Casimero presented the report, entitled "Population dynamics and growth of weeds in response to chemical and cultural control methods," at the conference which was attended by 400 participants from 26 countries including the United States and United Kingdom.

The report, named as the best out of 115 entries, carried a trophy and a cash prize.

The paper is part of Dr. Casimero’s doctoral dissertation at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) conducted under the global Integrated Pest Management-Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP).

IPM CRSP is a participatory research and development program on IPM technologies and institutional changes that will reduce crop losses owing to pests and reduce pesticide use and pesticide residues in export crops.

IPM CRSP involves scientists from national institutions (UPLB, PhilRice, Central Luzon State University and Visayas State College of Agriculture), international institutions (Virginia Tech-USA, International Rice Research Institute, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University and Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center) and the private sector (Nueva Ecija farmers and Nogrocoma).

IPM CRSP has eight global sites in Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America and Eastern Europe.

The Philippines and Bangladesh are its two sites in Asia.

The program’s management entity is at Virginia Tech, the lead institution. — RAF