PinoyEcoFarmer

The pili seednuts given by Dr. Roberto Coronel have finally sprouted in our seedbed beside the river. It almost took two months before breaking free from the seemingly uncrackable hard shell.

I already read countless articles about this man who considers fruit tree conservation as  a passion. For most of us who share the same interests, this man is really larger than life. Dr. Roberto Coronel, a retired University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) professor has undoubtedly all the credentials and experience that sets him apart from most of us when it comes to fruit trees but what struck me most when I finally came to meet the man is his very down to earth and humble way of relating with people. Unselfishly sharing his thoughts and knowledge on fruit trees.  It is like a father passing on something to his children.

We were treated to an excursion around his farm where he takes pride in the collection of fruit bearing trees. Some of them are native, indigenous and others are from different parts of the world which he collected during his travels. A sampling of the fruits in season was an added bonus to what we came for.

The two-day hands-on basic training seminar on nursery propagation was indeed well worth it. Not only did we learn but more importantly were even more inspired to be part of doing something that will contribute to “greening” the Philippines through more fruit trees. I brought with me our farmhelp so he can learn firsthand the techniques in propagating trees and hopefully do it in our farm.

The stay in Dr. Coronel’s home and nursery was also partly an introduction to the new fruits and a rediscovering of the fruits that I had as a child growing up in the province. The mouth watering plump balimbing and the sight of the black pili fruits were enough to transport me back to the memories of my home province in Sorsogon where we used to have balimbing in our backyard and regularly had blanched pili pulp as a sidedish (a favorite in our household).

We also bought from him planting materials for our farm at very reasonable prices that even came with lots of freebies. Some seeds and cuttings were just given away. We had rambutan, balimbing, biriba, abiu, blackberry, anise, variegated calamansi and lansones among others. A trio of bantam chicken which he raises in small portion of his backyard also came home with us.

Someday as those trees bear their fruits, I will certainly remember the man who truly inspired farmers like me to be part of something that future generations (including my children) will come to enjoy as well.

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I also posted the photos of the training course in my Facebook account. Dr. Coronel labeled the fruits. Here is the link.

We were fortunate to be granted a chance to visit again the St Paul University Dumaguete (SPUD) Integrated and Sustainable Farm in Calo, Dumaguete City during our recent trip there. It has been six months since we were there and  I was surprised to see a lot of amazing changes.

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The pili (Canarium ovatum) tree is the source of the pili nut which is made into delicacies that are the pride of the Bicol Region. What most people don’t know is that the bark of the pili yields a valuable resin – known as “Manila elemi” – which is used in the paint, pharmaceuticals, printing and perfume industries.

However, despite the fact that 225,000 pili trees grow in the Bicol provinces, there exists virtually no resin harvesting enterprises in most parts of the region.

To help start a sustainable industry, the Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) started three years ago teaching pili growers and farmers the scientific way of resin gathering. “The resin must be tapped the right way to make sure that the pili trees are not harmed and their yields are sustained. Over-tapping, deep tapping and frequent re-chipping can damage and eventually kill the trees,” explains FPRDI’s forester Arsenio B. Ella.

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At first glance it looks like a coconut tree standing in the middle of nowhere. Tall and solitary, it is a silent sentinel over surrounding rice fields. But on closer look subtle differences show—the curve of its leaves, its thicker trunk and a cluster of small brown nuts in place of young coconuts. This is the buri, a species belonging to the palm family. Growing to as high as over 40 feet, it is the tallest palm found in the Philippines.

This tree, called silag by locals, is the source of livelihood for families in Barangay (village) San Aurelio 1st in this eastern Pangasinan town. They use the buri’s large, fan-shaped leaves as roof for their homes, the starch from its trunk as food, and its nectar to produce tuba, a juice loved by many for its sweetness.

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Two Filipino researchers have developed an effective pest control from a fungus commonly found in the Philippines.

Dr. Carlos de la Cruz of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DA-RIARC) and Dr. Ruben Gapasin of the Visayas State University have tested different Metarhizium isolates against the jackfruit borer. They developed the metarhizium spray suspension (MSS) by mixing M. anisopliae spore cultures with 0.05 percent of soap solution and diluted with water. The solution is applied to flower buds, flowers, and fruits when the jackfruit fruit borers start to infest, and until the fruits are ready for bagging. The researchers added that for the MSS to be more effective, application should be complemented with proper timing of fruit bagging and pest monitoring.

According to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), the fruit borer causes about 30 to 40 percent damage in jackfruit from flower bud formation up to fruit ripening. M. anisopliae is a fungus known worldwide and proven to control various pests. Also known as Entomophthora anisopliae, the fungus grows naturally in soils throughout the world and causes disease in various insects by acting as a parasite. De la Cruz and Gapasin’s study found that Metarhizium isolates from sweet potato weevils are the most effective control against jackfruit fruit borer.

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Cashew, Palawan’s golden fruit, is second only to almond as the world’s most important nut. Unlike Davao and durian, Guimaras and mango, Camiguin and lanzones, Palawan is not quickly known for cashew, with many Filipinos associating the nut with Antipolo. Cashew nuts, roasted and salted, make for premium snacks, nutritious fats and oils.

Brought into the Philippines from northeast Brazil in the 17th Century, the cashew tree grows up to 12 meters, bearing a a kidney-shaped nut attached to a pear-shaped fruit. A cashew tree produces between 200 and 300 nuts a year, 60 percent of which is consumed as snacks. Average yield is 5 metric tons (MT) of nuts and 821,000 of fruits per hectare.

According to the Western Philippines University, the country’s number one producer of cashew is Palawan where some 24,345 hectares are devoted to cashew plantations. They yield 106,256 MT of fruits a year.

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Tree Species with Medicinal Uses presents a list of some forest tree species found to have curative properties based on observations and actual experiences of a number of people, as well as on previous research works of experts such as Quisumbing (1978), de Padua and others (1977; 1978; 1981), the Department of Health (1995) and sources listed in the References. Recently, a local pharmaceutical enterprise, however, has been manufacturing and distributing narra capsules. The company claims that its narra capsules can help improve the immune system. The capsules are also taken to cure rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, problems in the bladder or kidney stone, acne, asthma and certain types of cancer. In addition, the narra capsules are claimed as good fat burner and cleansing substance for the body.

This publication is an attempt to answer to call of the government for agencies concerned to document information and create awareness on the medicinal value/uses of forest tree species. Thus, researchers, students and the public will find the series practical and useful.

The continuing research efforts of various agencies, public and private, would eventually enable ERDB to update the series. That is, when information shall become available.

Reposted from Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB)

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