Disease-free citrus plants now grown in Nueva Vizcaya

MANILA, Philippines - Through a government research grant, the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) is now producing citrus planting materials that are free from diseases.

Citrus is one of the cash crops grown in Nueva Vizcaya. The town of Kasibu, in particular,  is known for growing pomelo, ponkan, and oranges.

The citrus industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the region.

Production in the province, however, is gradually declining because of the prevalence of various plant diseases and pests.

While production area for citrus is increasing, many orchards cannot maximize their production capacity because of these circumstances.

Continued use of infected planting materials aggravates the transmission of  citrus greening and citrus tristeza, the most economically-damaging diseases to citrus plants.

To address the problem, the NVSU, through its Citrus Resources Research and Development Center is implementing the project called “Technology on Citrus Disease-Free Planting Materials Production in Nueva Vizcaya.”

The project aims to produce disease-free planting materials of various citrus species and cultivars that are commercially grown in the province.

Through funding support from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) under the National Technology Commercialization Program (NTCP), NVSU was able to put up a disease detection laboratory and seedling nursery within its campus.

The facility provides disease detection services to orchards and supplies farmers with healthy cultivars.

“We have adapted programs designed to improve the farming conditions of our farmers and meet the needs of the citrus growers and if taken as a whole, this will add up to the inventory of healthy planting materials.

At the onset, we can now accommodate the demand for quality and premium seeds, not only for citrus, but other high value fruits and vegetables,” said BAR director Nicomedes Eleazar.

The NVSU nursery now houses 200 mother trees of various citrus cultivars which include Mandarins (Gayunan, Satsuma, Ponkan, Okitsu), Orange (Washington Navel, Navelate, Navelina, Hamlin, Trovita), Lemon (Meyer), and Pomelo (Magallanes, Siamese).

Citrus growers from the municipalities of Belance, Bayombong, Villaverde, Sta. Fe in Nueva Vizcaya and Tabuk, Kalinga have established new citrus orchards utilizing NVSU seedlings. These new production areas cover 14 hectares.

The NVSU is collaborating with BAR of other agricultural projects that include: Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Stability of Dryland Areas in the Provinces of (Nueva Vizcaya) through the Utilization of Pigeon Pea Package of Technology; Validation and Documentation of Organic Production Systems for Lowland Rice and Eggplant-Garden Pea in Nueva Vizcaya; and Upscaling Nueva Vizcaya State University Vermicomposting and Vermimeal Production Center (RV2/PC).