SOILSCAPE
BSWM
SOILSCAPE is the official soil and water resources assessment quarterly bulletin of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management January
January--March 2010, Vol. 1 No. 1
Geographic Extent of Mt. Pinatubo
Volcanic
Volcanic--ash Influenced Soils
Using Remote Sensing
A Time Series Study on Soil Formation and Development
contents
Director’s Message 3
Geographic Extent of 4
Mt. Pinatubo Volcanic-ash
Influenced Soils Using
Remote Sensing: A Time
Series Study on Soil
Formation and
Development
Erosion and Water 10
Resources Assessment in
the Upper Inabanga
Watershed in Bohol
Comparative Analysis of 12
Antioxidant Properties
and Fruit Quality
Attributes of Organically
and Conventionally
Grown Melons
(Cucumis melo L.)
WRMD Chronicles: 14
Looking back at the
division’s successful
irrigation projects
News briefs 18
2
director’s message
Our editorial staff decided to
forego with a quarterly newsletter
but instead come up with a
technical bulletin in view of the
dearth of scientific materials on
soil and water, specifically those
pertaining to soil and water
resources assessment. Although
this publication would have a more
specific target audience, the impact
would be more lasting as the value
of the data becomes higher with
time.
As this technical bulletin is
focused on soil and water
resources assessment, this should
encourage the publication of other
soil and water related materials,
especially those pertaining to
BSWM activities that dealt on other
sub-disciplines of soils science,
specifically those relating to soil
chemistry, soil physics and
mineralogy, soil biology, soil
fertility and plant nutrition, soil
and water
management.
conservation
and
With the moves of the national
government towards results-based
management, we cannot just be
reporting on activities. Our clientele
demands outputs.
As you are all
aware, much of our soil resources
inventory reports are for sale. This
technical bulletin aims to give our
readers and researchers a glimpse of
the wealth of our generated data and
an update of our completed projects
and activities.
We affirm our
commitment to make these data
available to the general public.
SILVINO Q. TEJADA, CESO III
Director
3
Before its eruption, Mt. Pinatubo, located at the intersection of the
borders of the provinces of Zambales,
Tarlac, and Pampanga in the Philippines,
was an inconspicuous volcano with a
summit reaching 1,745 m above mean
sea level. Indigenous people, the Aetas,
lived on the slopes of the volcano and in
surrounding areas. It was the source of
several important river systems, some of
which are Bucao, Santo Tomas,
Maloma, Tanguay, and Kileng on the
western flank of the volcano; and on the
eastern flank, some are Bangat, Marimla,
O-Donnell-Tarlac,
SacobiaBamban, Abacan, Pasig-Potrero, and
Porac. It was a stratovolcano made of
andesite and dacite.
The cataclysmic 1991 eruption
of Mt. Pinatubo drastically changed the
geomorphology of the area. In the June
15 explosion, the volcano ejected more
than five cubic kilometers of materials
with ash clouds rising to 35 kilometers
blanketing the countryside with volcanic
ash and pumice (USGS, 1997). The
eruption removed so much magma and
rock from below the volcano that the
summit collapsed to form a large caldera
2.5 kilometers across. The highest point
of the caldera is now placed at 1,485 m
above sea level, some 260 m lower than
the pre-eruption summit. There were
weaker but nevertheless, still spectacular
eruptions through September, 1991.
Even after more than five
years, the hazardous effects of the volcanic eruptions continue with valleyfilling pyroclastic flow deposits remobilized by the monsoon and typhoon rains
to form giant mudflows of lahars, burying numerous towns and villages, rice
paddies and sugarcane fields. Each
rainy season brought further lahars. The
major river ecosystems were clogged
with sediments and the valleys have
seen frequent lahars. Primary pyroclastic deposits filled the east-flank valleys
to depths of as much as 140 m (R. S.
Punongbayan, 1992, oral communication to Kevin M. Scott, USGS). Agriculture suffered in the region with several hundreds of square kilometers of
formerly arable lands being rendered
infertile, destroying the livelihoods of
thousands of farmers.
Although volcanic eruptions
are destructive, it represents soil renewal
or Time Zero in soil formation and development. The continuing weathering
of volcanic ash releases nutrients needed
by the plants and improves the physical
properties of the soil for suitable crop
environment. Dr.Shoji Sadao has done
significant studies on soil formation and
development of volcanic ash (Sadao
et.al, 2002). He clarified that volcanic
ash soils begin to form with rapid restoration of vegetation soon after ash deposition and create actually a productive
and comfortable environment for crops
when they cool, stabilize, and weather
into soil. Despite its initial sterile and
hot characteristics, volcanic ash have
important agro-ecological functions such
as accumulation of large amounts of
organic carbon and nitrogen, plentiful
storage of water, water quality improvement, and preservation of the paleoenvironment and archaeological artifacts. Volcanic ash soils are in fact, the
most productive soils in the world and
extensively utilized for a variety of agronomic and horticultural crops.
It is therefore the objective of
this paper to look into the process of Mt.
Pinatubo lahar weathering as well as soil
formation and development with the
passing of time using satellite imageries
to determine the agricultural recovery of
the area. This paper will also review the
work of other soil scientists to consolidate our knowledge and understanding
of the soil genesis, specifically of the
Mt. Pinatubo affected lahar areas.
Theoretical framework on soil formation and development of Mt. Pinatubo
volcanic ash-influenced soils
Carating (1992) developed a
model of soil formation and development based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy for Mt. Pinatubo-influenced volcanic ash soils. The eruption and its consequent catastrophic deposition of ash
and the related phenomenon of lahar
brings us back to Time Zero of soil development in the affected areas.
When a volcano goes through a
major eruption covering certain provinces with volcanic ash materials of
varying depths and extent, not all areas
affected will eventually develop into
volcanic ash soils. Some areas are
thinly covered that the weathering process would completely alter traces of volcanic ash with time. Other areas with
thick deposition are in steep physiographic position and the volcanic deposits would be consequently eroded
when the rains come. In still other areas
where deposits found a physiographic
niche, the volcanic materials will
weather into a transitional stage, mainly
allophane clay minerals, which could
either persist for a long period of time or
the weathering could proceed until only
traces of volcanic ash origin of the soil
becomes discernable.
In the USDA Soil Taxonomy
scheme of soil classification, 50 centimeters is the minimum depth of volcanic
ash before a top soil is considered buried. Irrespective of volcanic ash deposition depth, there are five external factors
of soil formation: parent material which
in this paper is Mt. Pinatubo volcanic
A Time Series Study on Soil Formation and Development
Geographic Extent of
Mt. Pinatubo Volcanic-ash
Influenced Soils Using Remote Sensing
Rodelio B. Carating, Juliet Manguerra, and Irvin Samalca
4
ash; physiography which dictates the
extent and volume of deposition, climate
where rainfall frequency and volume are
most critical, biological factors which
include vegetation and soil organisms
involved in nutrient cycling, and the last
factor is time which is the concern of
this study by conducting a time series
analysis of the satellite imagery of Mt.
Pinatubo-influenced volcanic ash soils.
Formation of non-crystalline
materials (active Al and Fe compounds)
and accumulation of organic matter are
the dominant pedogenic processing occurring in most soils formed in volcanic
materials (Shoji, et.al. 1993).
This
process
is
termed
as
“andosolization” (Duchaufour, 1977).
Ugolini et.al (1988) showed there is no
significant translocation of Al, Fe, and
dissolved organic matter.
The
formation
of
noncrystalline material is directly related to
the properties of the volcanic ejecta as a
parent material. The particle size, the
glassy nature of the particles, and the
high porosity permeability enhance
chemical weathering rates. Climate also
plays an important role as crystallization
is promoted as the soil climate becomes
warmer and dryer.
And thus, as the volcanic ash
deposits weather to soil, the dominance
of allophane clay minerals characterize
young volcanic ash soils. This is a longterm transitory phase in temperate countries that could last thousands of years.
Saigusa (1978) reported that in Japan, it
required about 10,000 years before the
volcanic ash soils could proceed to the
next stage of soil development. In New
Zealand, Kirkman (1975) reported
15,000 years while Nagasawa (1978)
claimed 30,000 years in Central Japan.
Recognizing this stablility in the USDA
Soil Classification scheme, an eleventh
soil order, Andisols, was established in
the 1990 Keys to Soil Taxonomy. Carating et.al. (2006) showed in his studies of
Taal volcanic ash soils that in the absence of soil rejuvenation through intermittent ash fall deposition, allophane in
the Taal-influenced volcanic ash soils is
unstable because of the tropical environment which promotes high intensity
chemical weathering thereby promoting
the further alteration of clay minerals
from allophane to halloysite.
And thus volcanic ash soils can
be divided into two groups based on
their mineralogical composition: (1)
allophanic volcanic ash soils dominated
by allophane and imogolite; and (2) the
non-allophanic volcanic ash soils dominated by Al-humus complexes and 2:1
layer silicates especially for those in
humid weathering environments.
Continuing with the Carating
1992 paper, halloysite dominate the exchange complex for those of Taalinfluenced soils without intermittent ash
falls as soil formation and development
proceeds with time. This soil formation
pathway is especially true in areas with
distinct dry season or in buried soil layers with imperfect drainage. Will volcanic ash deposits of Mt. Pinatubo follow the Taal volcanic ash soils in the
soil development pathway? Wada (1974)
reported that the allophane and allophane-like constitutents would transform
to halloysite or gibbsite depending on
whether the environment favors silication or desilication. There are indications that the formation of halloysite is
favored by thick depositional overburden as a silica source for resilication of
allophane and by stagnant moisture regime. The classification of Tagaytay
soils into Mollisols in the USDA Soil
Taxonomy system of classification correlate with the findings of Shoji, et.al.
(1990) who concluded that two of his
pedons in Abashiri, Hokkaido showed
Andisol transition to Mollisol and associated such to transformation of noncrystalline minerals to halloysite.
At the last stage of soil development is the senility stage. Halloysites
no longer dominates the exchange complex but rather the kaolinite clay minerals. Here, the soils are already red in
color. The development of the red color
is associated with old soils in view of
the persistence of resistant minerals like
aluminum and iron oxides and the leaching out of the other minerals. The soils
are usually classified as Ultisols or Oxisols. Soils at senility stage are depleted
of inherent nutrients and are dependent
on internal nutrient cycling to support
plant life. Ameliorative strategies such
as fertilization or perhaps another volcanic eruption can resuscitate volcanic
ash soils in the senility stage and improve its fertility status for agricultural
use.
Buol (1980) estimated that the
rate of formation of Mollisols to be 12
years per centimeter, Oxisols to be about
750 years per centimeter. Mohr and van
Baren (1954) assessed soil development
from volcanic ash to be 1.3 centimeter
per year. It certainly takes centuries to
millennia to form sizeable thickness of
soil cover appropriate for plant growth.
It is for this reason that environmentalists and soil conservationists argue that
soils should be considered to follow the
economic laws for non-renewable resources.
In each of these stages, the soils
exhibit distinct characteristics which are
relevant for soil classification based on
the USDA Soil Taxonomy, as well as
relevant for crop production suitability
assessment.
Based on the studies of Ugolini
(2002), the soil development pathway
for Mt. Pinatubo’s volcanic ash deposits
under a tropical climatic regime, and
(Continued on page 6)
The extent of Mt. Pinatubo eruptions through the 1990 (pre‐eruption), 1992, 1993, and 2007 satellite imageries are compared to assess soil formation and de‐
velopment for the rehabilitation of the lahar‐affected areas for agricultural devel‐
opment. Catastrophes such as volcanic eruptions mark Time Zero in soil formation and development. Although initially destructive, and the volcanic deposits are ste‐
rile and hot, volcanic ash deposition on a landscape refreshes the soil, improves the physical and chemical properties, and renews soil productivity. Volcanic ash soils are important components of soil organic matter that are main sources of nitrogen for plants, and various nutrients and energy for soil organisms, and also as impor‐
tant contributor to carbon sequestration and global stability from climate change. Mt. Pinatubo ash contains 1.7 g P2O5 kg‐1 mostly occurring as apatite enhancing the plant‐available phosphorus. It should be noted, however that the pre‐1991 erup‐
tion study shows that the soil development pathway is characterized by dominance of allophane; and hence, we should expect high phosphate retention and non‐
availability to plants despite its abundance. Time series study on the development of Pinatubo volcanic‐influenced ash‐soils shows that the weathering process pro‐
ceeds rapidly for many of the affected areas. However, the major lahar deposi‐
tional areas have remained as lahar despite the passing of the years. The time se‐
ries satellite imageries provide interesting study on soil development of Mt. Pi‐
natubo volcanic ash soils: the old lahar deposits are just overlain by the new and quite large areas of lahar deposits no longer appear as lahar in the satellite images. The characteristics of these volcanic ash soils for agricultural use and the appropri‐
ate soil management recommendations are provided. 5
(Continued from page 5)
based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy
system of soil classification can be
summed up as follows:
Tropical Climatic Regime
Warm dry/moist:
Entisols Mollisols
Entisols Andisols
Mollisols
Warm/dry
Entisols Vertisols
Warm/moist
Entisols Andisols Inceptisols
Alfisols Ultisols
Entisols Andisols
Inceptisols Oxisols Studies on satellite imageries. There
were two sets of satellite imageries studied for this project: The first was a set
of LandSat TM images from the National Space Development Agency of
Japan taken from 1990 to 1996 made
available through Dr. Toshiaki Ohkura
then JICA Expert assigned to the Bureau
of Soils and Water Management
(BSWM). The second satellite imagery
is SPOT taken in 2007 and made available to BSWM in 2008 through Diversified Farm Income Market Development
Program (DFIMDP) for Biofuels.
1. Image retrieval and geometric correction. The images were retrieved from
CD using ERDAS Imagine 8.3.1. The
digital boundary was overlayed to determine the extent of the study area. Geometric corrections were then made. An
unsupervised classification was conducted to estimate the number of classes.
2. Subsetting and supervised classification. The image was subset to limit coverage only to the study of interest: the
extent of lahars. Supervised classification could then proceed. In remote sensing, classification is the process of sorting pixels into a finite number of classes
based on their data file values. If a pixel
satisfies a certain set of criteria, then the
pixel is assigned to the class that correspond to the criteria. Unlike the unsupervised classification done earlier
which was computer automated, and
done to uncover statistical patterns in the
data, the analyst has more control in
identifying the patterns in the imagery.
In ERDAS Imagine, the supervised classification is done in three operations:
defining signatures, evaluating signatures, and performing supervised classification.
Pre-1991 Eruption of Mt. Pinatubo as
model for mature volcanic ash soils
and its characteristics for agricultural
use
Figure 2 presents the satellite
imagery of Mt. Pinatubo taken in 1990
and before its last eruption in 1991. The
remnants of the old (pre-1991) lahar
deposits on the various river systems
draining from Mt. Pinatubo are still visible despite assessment that its previous
eruption took place about 450 years ago.
We will consider the soils data from
these area taken before its eruption as
our model for mature-senile soils.
It is interesting to note that the
pre-1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatuboinfluenced volcanic ash soils, unlike the
Taal-influenced volcanic ash soils which
has two development pathways depending on availability of fresh volcanic ash
deposits, reveal soil development along
the Andisol soil classification concept as
X-ray diffraction studies show dominance of allophane and imogolite in the
exchange complex (Otsuka, 1988). This
suggests relative stability of an allophane transitory phase of soil development for Mt.Pinatubo-influenced volcanic ash soils. In Taal-influenced volcanic ash soils, allophane persists only
in areas when there are fresh volcanic
ash renewal; otherwise, the allophane
weathers to halloysite.
Wada and Harward (1974) reported that nearly all varieties of volcanic ash (basaltic, andesitic, deictic, or
rhyolitic) produce allophane and allophane-like constituents, though they
maybe different in nature, stability, and
amount. Imogolite, though different in
amount, is also associated with allophane in the weathering of these volcanic ash. Wada also stated that the
presence of allophane constitutes the
most important feature of soils derived
from volcanic ash.
The characteristics of soils rich
in allophane and formed from volcanic
ash are as follows, Wright (1964): (a)
Generally with thick profiles, friable in
upper part and ordinarily with distinct
stratification; (b) Presence of dark humic
compounds in top soils relatively resistant to microbial decomposition; (c)
Prominent yellowish brown subsoil colors with marked “smeary” or “greasy”
feel when squeezed between the fingers;
(d) Very low bulk density; (e) High water holding capacity; (f) Weak structural
aggregates; (g) Almost complete lack of
stickiness or plasticity when moist; (h)
High cation exchange capacity; (i) High
6
phosphate retention.
The implications for agriculture
of these soil properties dominated by
allophane are significant. The accumulation of large amounts of carbon and
nitrogen as important components of soil
organic matter is considered very important in the mitigation of climate change
through the concept of carbon sequestration. It is estimated that the carbon held
in the soil organic matter is approximately twice that occurring in the atmosphere as CO2 and is three times
more than that in all vegetation as organic compounds (IPCC, 2001). Very
low bulk density relate to lack of impedence for root germination. High
water holding capacity has implications
on drought resistance. Weak structural
aggregates and lack of stickiness reflect
on high erosion susceptibility. Notillage has important conservation advantage and highly recommended for
upland farming for these soils. In notillage practice, the soil is left undisturbed and only furrows for planting and
fertilization are prepared. The high value
of cation exchange capacity would correlate to good fertility. High phosphate
retention means limiting availability to
crops despite possibly adequate levels in
the soil. To improve this problem, initial application of a large amount of
phosphorus fertilizer by broadcasting
and then yearly application by banding
are commonly practiced. It should also
be noted that allophanic surface horizons
contain small exchangeable calcium and
liming might be needed in some areas.
Figure 2 presents the satellite imagery of Mt. Pinatubo taken in 1990 and before its last eruption in 1991. The 1991 eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo
and the watershed areas affected by
its volcanic debris; the characteristics
of Mt. Pinatubo volcanic ash
Figures 3A and 3B. (A) The 1992 satellite imagery of Mt. Pinatubo showing debris accumulation on the footslopes; (B) results of image analysis
Figure 3A is the satellite imagery of Mt. Pinatubo vicinities taken in
1992 showing the extent of lahar damages and the affected vicinities courtesy
of the National Space Development
Agency of Japan (NASDA). Figure 3B
is the results of the analysis of the satellite imagery. The total area covered by
lahar is about 106,778 hectares. The
accumulation of lahar on the footslopes
of Mt. Pinatubo is a threat for many
years to come.
Figure 3C is the satellite imagery of the same area taken in 1993.
Some areas have recovered from lahar
devastation while certain areas have
expanded lahar deposition showing the
continuing unstable condition of the
affected areas. Figure 3D is the results
of the analysis. The satellite imagery
shows that the lahar on the footslopes of
Mt. Pinatubo has decreased significantly
but the area covered has expanded from
about 106,778 in 1992 hectares to about
121,358 hectares by 1993.
Figure 3E is the satellite imagery taken in 1995. The lahar source
has significantly decreased at Mt. Pinatubo footslopes but the threat of burying more towns remain. Some areas
have recovered from lahar deposition
while in some areas, the lahar deposition
has expanded. Figure 3F which is the
results of the analysis of the satellite
imagery shows a totally different picture. The lahar deposits at the volcano
footslopes have significantly decreased,
the area coverage of lahar has likewise
decreased to about 50,888 hectares. Not
only has the threat of more devastating
lahar flows decreased somehow, but
significant lahar devastated areas show
soil development and agricultural rehabilitation. The results of the image
analysis evidently shows that contrary to
initial perceptions that it may take long
for the areas to recover from lahar deposits, soil formation and development
from the initial lahar parent material
proceeds rather fast.
Figures 3C and 3D. (C) The 1993 satellite imagery of Mt. Pinatubo and (D) the
results of the image analysis
Figures 3E and 3F. (E) The 1995 satellite imagery of Mt. Pinatubo and (E) the
results of the image analysis
Reyes and Neue (1991) found
lahar to be acidic, with pH of 4.3 and
consists mainly of sand (79%)and only
3% clay. Various vegetables grown to
lahar germinated from 50% to 90% but
the corn, cowpea and mungbean showed
chlorosis after two weeks while sweet
potato and kangkong showed vigorous
(Continued on page 8)
7
(Continued from page 7)
growth. Studies by Mazaredo, Coronel,
and Vergara (1991) conducted studies
on the growing of rice cultivars on lahar
with pH 4.3. Only those cultivars
adapted to acidic condition showed vigorous growth. The authors concluded
that for rice to grow, an extensive new
system of nutrient and cultural management may have to be introduced to sustain productivity. The authors actually
discount the fact that rapid restoration of
vegetation and soil environment takes
place on volcanic ash deposits soon after
the ash deposition event (Shoji, et.al.
2002). Lahar deposits will not remain as
lahar but would weather to soil with
time.
A series of reconnaissance type
of surveys were conducted in June 1991
to evaluate the extent of damage to agricultural areas and assess the depth of
volcanic ash fall (Micosa, et.al. 1994).
Random auger borings were conducted
and samples were collected for physicochemical and mineralogical characterization.
Table 1 presents some of the
physical properties of volcanic ashes. It
should be noted that samples with higher
amount of silt and clay could retain
higher amount of moisture.
Table 2 shows the agrochemical characteristics of each layer.
Layer II which is silty texture is strongly
acid, abundant in sulfates and extractable cations. Layers III and IV which
are fine sand and coarse sand in texture,
respectively, are low in sulfates as well
as low in extractable cations. Layer V is
silty in texture and moderately acid is
abundant in sulfates and moderate in
cations. Layer VI is loamy sand in texture, acidic, abundant in sulfates but low
in cations.
These laboratory results have
implications on the deposits’ capability
to support agricultural crops. The trace
nitrogen and minimal available phosphorus and potassium reflect on heavy
fertilization requirements to meet crop
nutrient needs. The low moisture retention capacity and low nutrient holding
capacity indicate the need for split fertilizer applications. The formation of potentially toxic FeS in acid submerged
soils is a threat not only in brackish water but also in rice fields, injuring the
roots of rice plants. The fresh volcanic
deposits, assuming they have cooled
down, would find it difficult to support
plant life.
The ashes of Mt. Pinatubo belong to andesitic ash mainly composed
of feldspars (mainly plagioclase), quartz,
mica (mainly biotite), hornblende, magnetite, and amorphous materials
(pumice, volcanic glass, etc.) Pyroxene,
apatite, and pyrophilite also exist in
some ash deposits. It is satisfactory to
consider Mt. Pinatubo’s ashes as a hornblende-andesite volcanic ash based on
its mineralogical composition. The significance of this mineralogical study
could be related on the capability of the
soils that would eventually weather from
these deposits to supply nutrients to the
crops. Feldspars contribute to the formation of secondary minerals and source
of calcium, sodium, and potassium.
Plagioclase mainly supplies sodium and
potassium. Orthoclase mainly supplies
potassium. Quartz is most resistant from
weathering. Mica, specially biotite, supplies potassium and magnesium and
contributes to the formation of 2:1 layer
clay minerals depending on surrounding
conditions. Hornblende supplies calcium, magnesium, and iron. Pyroxene
supplies the same elements as hornblende. Magnetite is fairly resistant to
weathering and gradually supplies iron.
Apatite is a source of phosphorus.
Amorphous materials, especially fine
volcanic glass is fairly weatherable and
contributes to allophane formation.
This portion of the study shows
that despite the fresh deposits’ limitations to support plant life, it has a vast
reservoir of locked-up minerals, that
given enough time for the deposits to
weather, Mt Pinatubo volcanic ash soils
will be productive and the deposits actually rejuvenated the vast agricultural
areas it initially devastated.
8
The Mt. Pinatubo volcanic ash deposits in 2008. A look at the state of soil
weathering 17 years after eruption
Climate, together with the influence of vegetation and time of exposure, are the primary factors regulating
soil development pathways in volcanic
materials. Andisols generally form quite
fast in humid climates and alter to other
soil orders as the soil age and the degree
of weathering increases. However, areas
with intermittent deposition of volcanic
ash rejuvenates soil development processes and Andisol could be maintained
as stable soil conditions.
On the other hand, warm/dry
conditions promote formation of crystalline layer silicates rather than noncrystalline materials and leaching is limited leading to high base saturation.
This often leads to alteration of Andisols
to Inceptisols.
Soil survey as part of the validation of the soil map for Region III is
conducted in February, 2008. We returned to some of the 1991 sampled areas to assess the state of soil weathering
some seventeen years after eruption.
The field survey work is completed midApril, 2008. The Soil Map of Region III
is up to soil series level at map scale of
1:250,000 (Figure 7). It is the very first
updated regional soil map fast-tracked to
be completed in time for this Southeast
Asian Geography Conference. Prior to
this, we have provincial soil maps at
varying scales completed from before
the war up to the late 60’s. The scale of
these old soil maps actually depends on
the size of the province, and hence, they
vary. Since the soil maps are at various
map scales, we could not put them to-
Table 1. The physical properties of the volcanic ashes
Particle size distribution (%)
Sample
No./
Equiv.
Layer
(Fig. 5)
1 (VI)
Location
Depth
(cm)
Total sand
0.05-2mm
Silt
0.002-0.05 mm
Moisture retention capacity (%)
Permanent
Field CapacWilting
ity
Point
1/3 bar
15 bars
8.2
2.7
Clay
<0.002 mm
Maximum
Water Holding Capacity
Available
Moisture
Botolan
0-5
64.0
28.2
7.8
34.0
2 (VI)
Sn. Marcelino
0-3
86.0
8.2
5.8
31.1
7.4
1.4
5.5
6.0
3 (V)
Makati
0-0.3*
42.0
45.2
12.8
45.4
37.9
3.0
34.9
*Volcanic ash deposits taken from house veranda, Legazpi Village, June 15, 1991 and equivalent to Layer V as presented in Figure 5.
gether as we integrate one provincial
soil map with another provincial soil
map.
Although the soil map would
hardly change with time because the soil
classification criteria are based on permanent soil features, but there are current developments we need to recognize
that compel us to come up with updated
Soil Map of the Philippines. For one,
the demand for soil data as input to rational resource allocation and rural development planning has shifted in focus
from political units to more holistic development planning framework with
emphasis on the watershed as the unit of
planning. Watersheds do not recognize
political boundaries but topographic
divides. Secondly, the eruptions of Mt.
Pinatubo totally altered the landscape of
Region III.
From the pre and post Mt. Pinatubo eruption satellite imageries, it is
very clear that Mt. Pinatubo’s current
volcanic ash deposits just overlay the
old. This is very interesting from the
soil mappers’ point of view because we
claim that the eruptions altered the landscape of Region III. Indeed the landscape was changed, there are many land
features not there prior to Mt. Pinatubo’s
eruptions. However, from the soil scientists’ point of view, and based on the
satellite imageries, the new deposits are
just overlain on the old deposits. Therefore, to predict the properties and agricultural value of the new deposits hundreds of years from now, all we have to
do is go back to pre-eruption soils data.
If ever Mt. Pinatubo will erupt again,
new deposits will again overlay on the
old, and thus the soil weathering cycle
begins anew.
and the microbiologically fixed nitrogen.
The soil map shows that at this
point in time, seventeen years after the
eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo, the lahar deposits have not yet developed into soil.
However, the surrounding areas characterized by thin deposition of volcanic
ash have weathered to soils. By providing a source of nutrients from readily
weatherable materials, the eruptions of
Mt. Pinatubo rejuvenated the surrounding agricultural areas. Volcanic soils are
among the most productive soils for
agriculture and forestry. The addition of
fresh materials not only counteracted
soil erosion but also provided new substrates to rejuvenate soil processes and
sustain the productivity of the agricultural areas. We intend, however to further update this 2008 Soil Map of Region III by integrating more recent and
current satellite imageries.
Revegetation can also be established by co-existence of gramineous
and leguminous plants. Saito et.al.
(2002) hypothesized the process with
gramineous plants such as Saccharum
sponteneum starting to grow from airborne seeds.
Probably diazotrophic
endophytic bacteria contribute to the
growth of the seedlings by nitrogen fixation. Secondly, the airborne or flooddispersed spores of arbuscular mycorhizal fungi colonize the gramineous plants
and fungal density increase in the host
plants. Thirdly, leguminous seeds such
as Centrosema pubescens are also dispersed and start to grow along with the
gramineous plants. Once the gramineous and leguminous plant community
with symbiotic microorganisms is established, the soil environment is rapidly
restored. The soil under the gramineous
and leguminous plant community accumulated more than twice as much organic carbon and nitrogen compared to
the soil under gramineous plant community only.
Hastening soil development of laharaffected areas
We have shown in the study
that although fresh volcanic ash deposits
of Mt. Pinatubo would have little value
for agricultural use; however, locked up
in the volcanic ash is a vast reservoir of
nutrients of importance to crops. So
once it cools, the volcanic ash is suitable
as a medium for plant growth. Rejuvenation of the soil environment can be
accomplished by restoration of vegetation. Nitrogen supply to the pioneer
plants is the key to the intense revegetation of areas affected by volcanic ash.
Nitrogen can be supplied through the
mineral nitrogen in the rainwater, soil
organic nitrogen mixed in the volcanic
ash, organic nitrogen of the buried soil,
Table 2. Some agro-chemical properties of the volcanic ash layers (mean)
Layer
(based on
Fig. 5)
No. of
samples
analyzed
Thickness
(cm)
pH
(water)
Available
P (ppm)
NH4OAcExtractable, ppm
Ca
Mg
Na
K
II
1
12.0
4.7
6.5
186
2
32
11
III
8
7.7
7.1
0.5
38
Trace
1
4
IV
11
9.0
6.9
9.2
48
1
2
6
V
4
3.0
6.4
8.8
149
2
6
10
VI
2
4.0
5.9
2.3
25
4
7
11
Soil management recommendations
A variety of agricultural crops
can be grown on Mt. Pinatubo influenced volcanic ash soils. It can be used
for growing high value horticultural
crops. For example, high quality yams
would require excellent soil tilth for
smooth elongation of the roots and ease
of harvesting, which volcanic ash soils
can provide. Soil management provides
an important key to improving soil productivity:
Nitrogen. Although volcanic
ash soils have small readily mineralizable organic N, the soils accumulate high concentrations of organic matter and can supply large
SO4
amounts of mineral nitrogen to
319
crops. Organic N in volcanic ash
soils, however, is seemingly
33
highly resistant to microbial de62
composition. A second note is
that recovery of N from urea or
213
ammonium sulfate by plants is
not high. To resolve these prob252
(Continued on page 17)
9
generated 0.0609 t·ha-1·mm-1 followed by forest
(0.0284 t·ha-1·mm-1), oil palm (0.0186 t·ha-1·mm1
), grassland (0.0127 t·ha-1·mm-1) and agroforest
(0.0062 t·ha-1·mm-1). The high soil loss per unit
runoff in cassava/corn plot is suggested to be
linked to cultivation and cropping activities during
the data collection. Additionally, at different
periods during the data collection period, soil was
bare and exposed to the detaching impact of rainfall. The agroforest plot has the lowest amount of
sediment per unit runoff. The low concentration
of sediment in the agroforest plot was most likely
due to flat terraces
allowing sediments to
settle down after
transit within the plot.
The Inabanga Watershed Project
soil loss linked to weekly rainfall data from localized rain gauges. Discharge rate data from water
samplers and rain-intensity data from weather
stations was used to characterize the subwatersheds in terms of runoff and sediment yield.
2
The ACIAR Watershed Project in
Bohol Island was established to address agricultural opportunities and natural resources problems
in the island. The major task was to inventory
resources and to develop strategies for protecting
the environmentally and economically sensitive
soil and water resources of the Inabanga River
Watershed while maintaining agricultural productivity within the watershed.
Rainfall, runoff and soil loss
The highest values for runoff and soil
loss were recorded from the cassava/corn plot,
while the lowest values of these parameters were
The study
6000
90
80
5000
70
60
4000
50
3000
40
2000
30
Soil loss (t ha-1)
Runoff and rainfall (mm)
The study is an initial
step into understanding erosion
processes within the Upper
Inabanga Watershed. The study
aims to describe the impact of
land use management practices
in terms of soil loss, runoff and
sediment yield at the runoff
plots and at a watershed level.
The study also uses the GeoWEPP erosion model to predict
and simulate soil loss, runoff
and sediment from agricultural
hillslope incorporating soil
conservation measures, and to
predict the effect of land cover
change in selected catchment in
terms of runoff and sediment
yield.
20
1000
10
0
Agro-forest
Cassava/Corn
Forest
Grassland
Oil Palm
Rainfall
3850
4515
3850
4515
5044
Runoff
694
1311
13
952
265
Soil loss
4.3
79.9
0.4
12.1
4.9
0
Total rainfall, runoff and soil loss accumulated during the 98‐
week on‐site monitoring. The values were computed from weekly data. Watershed measurements by the project
Watershed measurements were carried
out in the Upper Inabanga Watershed. Erosion
plots were set up under five common land uses in
the watershed. Automatic water samplers were
placed across two creeks to monitor discharge and
sediment transport. A 98-week data set from the
experimental plots was used to analyze runoff and
recorded from the forest plot. The total rainfall
measured from the three localized rain gauges
differed, ranging from 3850 to 5044 mm. The
highest rainfall was measured in the oil palm area.
The runoff per unit rainfall (1 unit rainfall = 1 mm)
from cassava/corn, grassland, agroforest, oil palm
and forest plots is in the order of 29%, 20.8%,
18%, 5.2% and 0.3%, respectively. In terms of
soil loss per mm of runoff, the cassava/corn plot
Application of WEPP and GIS Tools
Erosion and Water Resources
Assessment in the Upper
Inabanga Watershed in Bohol1
Imelida Torrefranca
1. Dr. John Bavor - Academic Supervisor
2. LWR/2001/003 Integrated Watershed Management for Sustainable Soil and Water Resources Management
of the Inabanga Watershed, Bohol Island, Philippines
10
During the
98 weeks or 1.9 years
of data collection, the
highest soil loss rate
was 43.1 t·ha-1·yr-1
(computed as 81.9.
t·ha-1 divided by 1.9
a
b
years) from cassava/
Modification of hillslop
corn plot. The rest of
(b) one terrace at th
the plots showed
erosion rates below
the limit of 10 t·ha-1·yr-1: the erosion rates were
6.4 t·ha-1·yr-1, 2.6 t·ha-1·yr-1, 2.3 t·ha-1·yr-1, and 0.2
t·ha-1·yr-1 for grassland, oil palm, agroforest and
forest, respectively. The cassava/corn plot generated more than 6 times the erosion of the next
higher land cover type, which was grassland. The
cassava/corn plot was the only plot that was cultivated during the data collection. Cultivation is
hypothesized to be the main reason why the erosion rate was relatively high in the cassava/corn
plot compared to other plots.
Erosion assessment using
WEPP model at the farm level
The hillslope topography was altered to
effect terracing. There were two sub-scenarios
assessed. One scenario was when a 1-m terrace
was located at the bottom of the hillslope while the
other scenario was when there were two 1-m terraces, one at the bottom and the other at the middle
of the hillslope. The terrace was set at 1% slope
and was cropped with corn. The hillslope condition is illustrated. The scenarios evaluated were:
a) conventional tillage – without any conservation
measure, b) application of terraces, and c) use of
grass strips.
Results of the simulation are as follows:
- Soil loss increased as the slope increased while
the runoff depth decreased with increasing slope.
The trends on runoff agreed with the field experiments reported by Presbitero (2003) for hedged
runoff plots planted with corn on 50%, 60% and
70% slopes. Additionally, the trend for soil loss
showed a similar pattern to that measured for soil
loss from bare plots in the above noted field experiments of Presbitero (2003).
- Soil loss and sediment yield were reduced with a
terrace compared with soil loss and sediment yield
on hillslopes without a terrace. The single 1 m
width terrace reduced soil loss by 26%, 15%, 14%
and 12% on 10%, 50%, 60% and 70% slopes,
respectively relative to a no-terrace profile. Sediment yield was reduced by 23%, 24% and 26 %
from 50%, 60% and 70% slopes, respectively.
Runoff depth on the other hand, increased slightly
with terracing.
- When an additional 1 m terrace wide was placed
at the middle of the slope, further decrease in soil
loss and sediment yield was observed relative to a
no-terrace condition. At 10% slope, the addition of
terraces had no effect on soil loss, sediment yield
and runoff. However for slopes at 50%, 60% and
70%, reshaping the landscape to add one more
terrace conserved 18-26% of soil loss and 26-30%
of sediment leaving the hillslope profile, relative to
no-terrace conditions.
are the same as Scenario A; C - Slope 0 – 18%
cropped with corn, remaining areas are the same as
Scenario A; D - Combination of B and C; E - All
cropped with corn; and F – All forest
Results of the WEPP/GeoWEPP watershed application are presented as on-site effects
and off-site effects. The on-site effects are classified in terms of what were considered as tolerable
and non-tolerable soil loss rates while the off-site
effects were indicated by sediment yield and discharge volume at the watershed outlet. A tolerable
soil loss value of 10 t·ha-1·yr-1 was used as the
threshold level for evaluating the on-site effects.
The threshold value is within the soil loss
“tolerable” value of 2 - 11.2 t·ha-1·yr-1 which has
been used by previous researchers (e.g. Renard et
al., 1996; Morgan, 1995; Lal, 1994). Areas having
soil loss rates exceeding the tolerable soil loss
rates were considered critical. An erosion map
showing the spatial distribution and location of
erosion-critical areas is also shown.
- Under conditions in which terraces were replaced
with grass strips, simulations results showed that
grass strips were effective at reducing the amount
of sediment leaving the hillslope. For instance, at
10% slope, when the bottom terrace was planted
with grass, sediment yield was halved: from 26 %
b Application to land use planning
c e topography to effect terracing: (a) no terrace he bottom of hillslope, and (c) two terraces Under the existing land cover conditions, only 13.4% of the Bugsok Subwatershed
area is utilized for agriculture, while based on the
current policy regarding the slope limitation, there
is a further 59.1% that can be cultivated for agriculture use. However, even under present conditions, 21.2% of the study area is already experiencing high erosion rates. Two-thirds of these highly
erosive areas are on slopes ≤ 18% dominated by
agriculture.
with terrace to 55% with grass strips relative to a
no conservation measure practice. On the same
slope, soil loss was decreased by a further 4%
percent with grass strips compared to cropping
with corn.
- The impact of the 1 m grass strip at the bottom of
the hillslope, on slopes 50-70%, was very significant. There was a reduction of 65-66% in sediment yield compared to only 23-25% if the 1 m
terrace was cropped with corn.
Though forest use had been identified
as the most preferred land
use, in terms of soil and water
conservation (DENR, 2000),
A
there are still conditions
under this land cover that
may result in non-tolerable
erosion rates, as shown in
Figure F. In this case, specific
conditions leading to high
Erosion hazard assessment
in the Bugsok Subwatershed
There were six scenarios simulated,
namely: A - Existing land cover (March 2002); B Slope >18% - all forested, while remaining areas
erosion rates would need to be identified in order
to design conservation measures for the forest
areas. In similar fashion, there are agriculture
areas as shown in Figure E where erosion rates
were predicted under tolerable rates. Conditions in
these areas would need to be investigated in order
to identify the prevailing specific conditions which
resulted to low erosion rates. Such specific identification was beyond the scope of the current investigation but should be addressed in future studies.
Conclusion
The current practice of cassava/corn
farming generated high erosion rates compared to
other land cover types. The high erosion rates
were suggested to be due to tillage operations and
exposure of the soil surface to erosive rain. Since
agriculture, particularly growing cassava and corn
is the common economic activity in the Upper
Inabanga Watershed in particular and in the island
in general, local authorities should enforce the
adoption of conservation measures as a strategy in
addressing soil and water resources sustainability.
The application of the WEPP erosion
model and the use of GIS tools demonstrated their
usefulness in the planning and managing of resources in the Upper Inabanga Watershed. The
ability to simulate and predict the extent of erosion
under a wide range of scenarios and to identify
specific location of erosion prone areas was
deemed valuable for decision-making purposes
and for designing conservation strategies. The
methodology that was initially developed in the
study can be used in the local planning and management of soil and water resources.
B
On‐site effects of land use change predicted by WEPP‐GeoWEPP and presented as percentage distribution of soil loss under different land cover scenarios Scenarios
Erosion rates
A
B
C
D
E
F
10.7
10.7
13.2
13.8
6.8
3.5
6.2
5.8
10.6
10.4
6.6
0.4
4.5
4.9
2.6
3.4
0.2
3.0
68.1
71.5
33.1
35.5
7.9
92.5
40.1
44.4
10.9
13.5
0.7
74.6
21.4
21.0
14.9
14.8
3.1
14.1
5.0 – 7.5
4.4
4.1
5.1
5.1
3.0
2.5
7.5 – 10
2.2
2.0
2.1
2.1
1.0
1.3
21.2
17.8
53.7
50.7
85.3
4.0
4.1
3.5
4.6
4.0
2.6
2.2
-1
> 10
<= 10
Tolerable soil loss (≤
10 t·ha-1·yr-1)
0 – 2.5
2.5 – 5.0
Non-tolerable soil loss
(>10 t·ha-1·yr-1)
10 – 20
30 – 40
>40
Total
D
E
F
-1
Deposition (t·ha ·yr )
20 – 30
C
-1
-1
Legend: Soil loss values (t·ha ·yr )
2.0
1.6
2.2
1.9
1.8
0.7
1.2
1.0
1.5
1.4
1.3
0.5
13.9
11.7
45.4
43.4
79.6
0.6
100
100
100
100
100
100
11
> 10 (Deposition)
< 2.5
5.0 - 7.5
10 - 20
30 - 40
<= 10 (Deposition)
2.5 - 5.0
7.5 -10.0
20 - 30
> 40
Erosion maps of the Bugsok Subwatershed with six land use scenarios showing the on‐site effects as predicted using GeoWEPP. White areas within the subwatershed are the channels identified by GeoWEPP but were excluded in erosion simulation with the flowpath method. Antioxidant properties and quality
attributes were evaluated for 10 melon (Cucumis
melo L.) cultivars grown under conventional and
certified organic conditions in a 2-year field study
at the Horticulture Field Research Center, Colorado State University, Colorado U.S.A. Differences among cultivars, produced either by conventional or organic methods, contributed the largest
sources of variation in antioxidant properties. A
2.1- to 2.2-fold difference was seen between
groups of cultivars with the highest and lowest
levels of ascorbic acid when produced by organic
and conventional methods, respectively. Choice of
cultivar using conventional and organic production, respectively, enabled a 1.7- and 1.6-fold gain
in total phenolics, a 2.6- and 4.2-fold gain in radical scavenging capacity determined by 2, 2#azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid),
and a 1.8- and 2.4-fold gain determined by the 2,2diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. Based on an
antioxidant index, cultivars with the highest antioxidant properties were Savor, Sweetie #6, Early
Queen, Edonis, and Rayan. Organic melons had
significantly higher ascorbic acid over both years,
whereas total phenolics content was higher only in
the first year. Percent dry matter and soluble solids
content also varied widely among cultivars but
were unaffected by production system. Choice of
cultivar provides a viable option for growers interested in producing melons with high antioxidant
properties. Cultivars with high antioxidant levels
may provide a competitive marketing and supply
niche for producers, but the full extent of diversity
for antioxidant attributes requires further evaluation of cultivars and germplasm.
This study had four primary objectives.

To evaluate antioxidant properties including
ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolics (TP), free
radical scavenging activity (ABTS/TEAC,
DPPH/TEAC), and quality attributes (i.e.
soluble solids content, dry matter) among 10
C. melo cultivars;

To examine 10 cultivars that may benefit
small and medium-scale growers seeking
niche markets for melons with high antioxidant properties;

To examine if organic production results in
higher or lower antioxidant levels using
research parameters that minimize experimental variables;

To examine to the extent possible, variation
among antioxidant and quality attributes
imparted by environmental conditions in two
consecutive years.
Materials and Methods
Temperature and solar radiation. Data on temperature and solar radiation for two cropping seasons (2005–2006) were obtained from a Northern
ColoradoWater Conservancy District weather
station located within 100 meters of the research
plots. To examine possible effects of temperature,
daily growing degreeday heat accumulation units
were computed by subtracting the base temperature (10 _C) for warm season crops from the average temperature as daily GDD = [(Tmax +
Tmin)/2] – base temperature in which Tmax and
Tmin are maximum and minimum daily air temperatures. Each daily GDD was summed over the
growing season. Solar radiation data were recorded
with an ‘‘Epply’’ pyranometer and expressed as
Langleys (1-calories/cm2).
Melon production and handling. The study was
carried out with field plot trials in 2005 and 2006
at the Horticulture Field Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. The research plots were certified organic by the Colorado
Department of Agriculture in accordance with the
National Organic Program standards. Conventional production plots were located within 50 m
on identical soil texture (Nunn clay, pH 7.8) and
were managed with inorganic fertilizers and insecticides.
This study is part of a larger project from USDA/
CSREES/NRI entitled ‘‘Differentiating Small
Farm Produce Offerings through Nutritionally
Superior Cultivars, Marketing, and Extension
Programs,’’ in which six crops, including melons,
were planted on conventional and certified organic
fields. The experimental units were laid out in a
split plot with the whole plots arranged as a completely randomized design. Production systems
were assigned to whole plots and cultivars were
designated as subplots. Three blocks in each production system served as replications. Each 163m2 organic or conventional production system was
planted to 450 plants in the three replicate blocks
that included 10 cultivars described in Table 1.
Cultivars were randomized within each replicate
block. Transplants were grown from seed
(Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Inc., Winslow, ME) in
the CSU Plant Environmental Research Center
Greenhouses. Sunshine Organic Basic planting
media (Sun Gro Horticulture, Bellevue, WA) was
used to grow melon transplants in 7.6-cm round
Jiffy peat pots for 21 d before transplanting in the
field. The transplants were grown on a bottomheated greenhouse floor maintained at 18 _C.
Rootshield_ (Trichoderma harzianum, Rifai, Strain
T-22 #9462; Bioworks, Victor, NY), approved for
use in organic crops, was drenched into the soil
immediately after sowing for all plants. Melons
were transplanted into black plastic mulched beds
at 61-cm spacing between plants and 183 cm between beds. The field plots measured 44.5 m long
and 11.0 m wide.
Sample preparation, extraction, and analysis.
Melons were washed twice in tap water to remove
surface contamination and cut transversely in the
middle of each fruit. Forty grams of 4.0 to 6.0 mm
thick radial melon slices without the skin were
individually weighed for calculation of dry matter
content, lyophilized in a Virtis freeze dryer (SP
Industries, Warminster, PA), and stored desiccated
in air-tight vials at –20 _C before analysis. Samples were freeze-dried for 5 d until vacuum levels
remained stable at 200 to 300 millitorr removing
all freezable water. Freeze-dried melon samples
were ground and passed through a 100-mesh
screen to achieve a uniform particle size in preparation for extraction. Freeze-dried samples of 500
mg were extracted in 10 mL of 80% acetone by
vortexing and rotating for 1 h in the dark at 4 _C
with a rotator (Barnstead/Hemolyne, Dubuque, IA)
before centrifugation at 6000 rpm for 15 min at 4
_C. Onemilliliter aliquots of clear supernatant
were removed and concentrated to dryness in a
Vacufuge_ [Eppendorf North America (Westbury,
NY), VWR, CO] for 2 h at 45 _C. The concentrated extracts were reconstituted and analyzed for
TP, ABTS, and DPPH. Because the Vacufuge_
concentration step was shown in preliminary trials
and in previous research (Esparaza-Rivera et al.,
2006) to degrade essentially all vitamin C, data for
TP, ABTS, and DPPH antioxidant capacity are
considered not to reflect a contribution from vitamin C as an antioxidant.
Results and Discussions
Differences among cultivars, produced either by
conventional or organic methods contributed the
largest sources of variation in antioxidant properties.
A 2.1-2.2 fold difference was seen between groups
of cultivars with the highest and lowest levels of
ascorbic acid when produced by organic and conventional methods, respectively. Choice of cultivar
using conventional and organic production, respectively, enabled a 1.7 and 1.6 fold gain in total
phenolics, a 2.6 and 4.2 fold gain in radical scavenging capacity determined by 2, 2’-azinobis (3ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and a
1.8 and 2.4 fold gain determined by the 2,2diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay.
Based on an antioxidant index, cultivars with the
highest antioxidant properties were Savor, Sweetie
#6, Early Queen, Edonis and Rayan.
Production system also influenced the antioxidant
properties of melon cultivars. To the best of our
knowledge, this is the first report that compares
antioxidant content and activity of organic and
conventionally grown melon cultivars. The results,
based on two years data, suggest that melon cultivars grown in organic plots have slightly higher
ascorbic acid than those grown in conventional
Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant
Properties and Fruit Quality Attributes
of Organically and Conventionally
Grown Melons (Cucumis melo L.)
Karen Salandanan (Principal Author), Marisa Bunning,
Frank Stonaker, Oktay Külen, Patricia Kendall and
Cecil Stushnoff. Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant
Properties and Fruit Quality Attributes of Organically and Conventionally
Grown Melons (Cucumis melo L.). 2009. HortScience 44 (7):1825-1832.
12
Analysis of variance of the effects of year, cultivar and production system and
their interactions expressed as P values for statistical significance, NS = not significant or significant at P<0.05, 0.01, 0.001.
Ascorbic
acid
Total
phenolics
ABTS
<0.01
<0.01
<0.001
Cultivar (C)
<0.0001
<0.0001
YxC
<0.0001
Production
system (PS)
Y x PS
Dry matter
Soluble
solids
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.0001
<0.0001
<0.0001
<0.0001
<0.001
<0.0001
<0.01
<0.0001
<0.001
<0.05
<0.01
NS
<0.05
NS
NS
NS
<0.01
NS
NS
NS
NS
C x PS
<0.05
NS
<0.0001
NS
NS
NS
Y x C x PS
<0.01
<0.001
<0.0001
NS
NS
<0.01
Drawing appropriate conclusions on the
effect of production system on antioxidant properties and fruit quality attributes relies on good experimental design and sampling; nevertheless, year
to year environmental effects complicate interpretation of data. The results of this study indicate
that in general, production system had less effect
than cultivar and year differences. Choice of cultivar, unlike weather, can largely be controlled by
the producer and is the simplest decision with a
large potential impact to optimize nutritional attributes of melon production. Local organic and/or
conventional producers who wish to take advantage of markets for more nutritious produce can
benefit by selecting appropriate cultivars, provided
unbiased research data on adapted cultivars is
available through university extension programs.
While producers are often in a good position to
assess local adaptability, assessment of unbiased
nutritional properties requires analytical data that
is likely best provided by research laboratories.
Acknowledgment: This research study was
supported by the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture, USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension Service, NRI grant number 2005-55618-15634, and Colorado State Agricultural Experiment Station Project number 0691.
We gratefully acknowledge The FulbrightPhilippine Agriculture Scholarship Program for
graduate studies support of Karen Salandanan.
We thank James zumBrunnen for statistical advice,
and Heather Troxell and Jeannette Stushnoff for
technical assistance.
* HortScience is one of the three journals of the
American Society for Horticultural Science. It
publishes horticultural information of interest to a
broad array of horticulturists. Its goals are to
apprise horticultural scientists and others interested in horticulture of scientific and industry
developments and of significant research, education, or extension findings or methods.
120
2005
110
2006
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
a
ra
v
R
B
ay
ur
an
pe
e
H
yb
H
on
rid
ey
O
ra
ng
Sw
e
an
La
ke
H
ao
ge
n
s
Ed
on
i
Q
ue
en
#6
rly
Ea
ee
ti e
vo
r
0
Sw
Some cultivars had higher antioxidant
properties regardless of production method. The
antioxidant index presented in Figure 2 compares
the antioxidant potential of the melon cultivars
evaluated by combining AA and TP with the average of TEAC values obtained from DPPH and
ABTS assays to incorporate free radical scavenging capacity. Examination of rank based on the
index over both years reveals that cultivars with
the highest and lowest rank generally occupied
similar positions among the 10 examined. This
suggests that the index provided a reasonably
consistent estimate of antioxidant properties for
the 10 cultivars. The top index ranks of cultivars
Savor, Sweetie #6, and Early Queen parallel their
averaged TEAC ranks. All three cultivars have
orange-colored flesh from high concentrations of
carotenoids (Lester and Eischen, 1996; Robinson
and Decker-Walters, 1999; Saftner et al., 2006),
which likely contributed to their high TEAC values. The lowest ranked cultivars, Swan Lake,
Haogen, and Arava, have greenish white flesh.
Melons grown in organic and conventional plots
did not display significant differences in dry matter. Magkos et al. (2003) suggested significant
differences in dry matter could not be expected
between organic and conventional produce because fruits have low ability to absorb and assimilate nitrogen. SSC also was not significantly influenced by different production systems, but the
interactive effects (year · cultivar) were observed
to have a significant effect on dry matter and soluble solids. Not surprisingly, high dry matter melons also had the highest soluble solids. The highest
dry matter cultivars also had the highest antioxidant properties, AA, and TP content. Studies that
evaluate attributes of produce grown under organic
and conventional practices (Asami et al., 2003;
Lombardi-Boccia et al., 2004) have encountered
skepticism, often for valid but unavoidable reasons
related to difficulties in making unambiguous
comparisons. Accordingly, after examination of
our data and recent literature (Lester, 2006; Magkos et al., 2003; Zhao et al., 2006), the following
may provide some guidelines to help avoid pitfalls
and improve interpretation. To the extent possible,
research targeted at comparing organic production
to conventional management should strive to meet
the following conditions: 1) locate research plots
on soils with similar texture, fertility status, drainage, and exposure, as close to each other as practical while meeting organic certification requirements for the organic plots; 2) include comparison
of known identical cultivars within a genotype and
crop to minimize complications of genetic traits
from unknown cultivars as a variable; 3) repeat the
experiment at least 2 years or growing seasons; 4)
apply similar production practices, including planting time, planting methods, plot design, spacing,
row orientation, irrigation source, application
method, and scheduling with care to avoid water
stress conditions; 5) to the extent possible, apply
similar quantities of major nutritional elements
(organic matter will of necessity differ, as in all
likelihood will those minor elements associated
with organic sources); 6) use similar postproduction harvest methods, including physiological
maturity, fruit size, harvest time of day, fruit location on plants, storage conditions, and handling for
samples collected for analytical purposes; 7) mini-
Sa
plots. In organic production nitrogen is slowly
released, vegetative growth is not extended giving
way to appropriate time to begin the reproductive
stage. According to Benbrook et al. (2008), plants
trigger activity of the ascorbic acid biosynthetic
pathway when the reproductive cycle of the plant
has started. In conventional production with periodic excess nitrogen, a prolonged vegetative cycle
may deter ascorbic acid production in the fruit.
Organic melons also had higher TP than conventional melons but only in the first year. Percent dry
matter and soluble solids content also varied
widely among cultivars, but were not affected by
production system.
Antioxidant index ( SEM)
Year (Y)
DPPH
A
Source
mize potential losses by: a) rapid cooling and
freezing, b) holding tissue at –20 _C or lower, c)
preparing liquid nitrogen powders or freeze drying
of tissues in a temperature controlled freezer drier
after initial freezing to at least –40 _C, and d)
analyzing material within 6 to 12 months from
harvest; and 8) use at least three standard analytical methods to assess antioxidant properties with
sufficient biological replication and laboratory
precision to facilitate statistical analysis.
Antioxidant index [(ΣVit C+TP +Antioxidant capacity)/3] for ten melon cultivars
(± SEM, n=6) based on 3 replicate plots from both organic and conventional production.
13
Feature:
Small-Scale
Irrigation
Systems
The BSWM through the Water Resources Management Division
(WRMD), is tasked with the development of water resources in the country for Small-Scale Irrigation Projects
(SSIPs). These SSIPs refer to Small
Water Impounding Projects (SWIP),
Small Diversion Dam (SDD), Shallow
Tube Wells (STW) and Small Farm
Reservoir (SFR). From 2001 up to
present, the BSWM in collaboration
with other concerned agencies successfully constructed 114 units of
SWIP and SDDs, and distributed 426
units of STWs. These SSIPs were able
to provide supplemental irrigation to
about 8,100 hectares of rainfed ricebased area that benefited more than
5,500 farmers.
The positive impacts of the
SSIPs, particularly SWIP, are: it provides supplemental irrigation; serves
other incidental functions such as flood
control structures; and caters other economic uses such as for fishery and livestock production. As such, huge number
of requests from several interest groups
such as Local Government Units
(LGUs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Farmers’ Associations
and even individual farmers are demanding to have these small water impounding facilities. Moreover, these SSIPs are
being recognized by the DA and other
national agencies e.g. DAR, DENR, as
one of the appropriate measures to uplift
the living conditions of marginal upland
farmers. Currently, SWIPs and other
SSIPs are considered one of the adaptation measures to cope up with the adverse impact of extreme climate events
such as floods or droughts.
For better appreciation of the
beneficial contributions of these SSIPs,
WRMD looked back at its four representative projects.
Looc Diversion Dams,
Looc, Romblon
Under the “Hunger Mitigation
Program” of the Department of Agriculture in 2008, the Municipality of Looc
requested for the construction and improvement of irrigation systems in their
seven barangays. During that time, the
condition of their existing irrigation
structures in these barangays, particularly canals, are not efficient and some
are not being utilized by the farmers due
to siltation and damages. Similarly,
there is a need for the construction of a
small diversion dam to hold and store
the flow from the upstream to irrigate
the adjacent sloping rain fed rice farms.
This is the only source of water that they
thought could be tapped for their supplemental irrigation needs.
Diversion dam structure The request of the Looc municipality was granted due to the potential benefits the poor rain fed farmers
would get from it. Hence, the construction of these irrigation facilities was
undertaken immediately through a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between the Municipal Government,
Department of Agriculture-Region 4B
and BSWM. This is one of the projects
of BSWM that is worth mentioning for
its timely and proper implementation.
The sincerity and commitment of the
LGU in pursuing this irrigation project
paved the way for the realization of improving the socio-economic condition of
WRMD chronicles
Looking back at the division’s successful irrigation projects
Marcelo Dayo
14
the farmers.
Currently, these irrigation facilities irrigate about 80 hectares of rice
field, and benefiting more than 100
farmer-households. With the improvement of irrigation structures, two (2)
croppings of rice a year with sustained
irrigation water supply is assured.
The project also gave opportunity for the farmers to capacitate themselves through trainings conducted by
BSWM, DA-RFU and LGU on the new
available rice production technologies as
well as on soil and water conservation.
Application and adoption of these new
knowledge and skills enabled them to
increase their farm productivity and income without wasting water in the field.
More important, through the basic leadership skills training they attended, their
cohesiveness as one entity was strengthened, and hence conflict on the use of
common water resource was prevented.
Concrete irrigation canal The farmers also learn to appreciate and value the importance of
good watershed cover, and judicious use
of scarce soil and water resources. The
projects provided chain of benefits not
only for the farmers but to the community as well. Through intensified cropping, farm job opportunity was created,
rice and other food became more available for each household, and urban migration was minimized.
With the continued supervision
and support from BSWM and commitment from the LGU, these projects will
definitely provide a sustained productivity and success for the farmer beneficiaries and to the community as a whole.
San Jose SWIP
San Jose, Mabini,
Bohol
Barangay San Jose in Mabini,
Bohol is the place where 29 school children died because of cassava poisoning
in 2005. It was also once known as ha-
Dam embankment and pond area of San Jose SWIP ven for NPA rebels. In other words, the
area is really economically disadvantaged, associated with death risk due to
unsafe and very poor living condition.
As far as agriculture is concern,
the area is known for its low productivity considering its rain fed condition as
well as relatively poor soils due to erosion. According to the present Barangay
Captain, their barangay have been requesting for the construction SWIP since
1980’s. Now, that they have realized
their long-time wish, they can’t help but
wear a smile and reminisce how they
struggle to have this project. This is now
considered as one of the legacies of the
old folks in the area.
The SWIP was constructed
under the 2008 GMA Rice and Corn
Program. The implementation was done
by private contractor through competitive bidding. The construction started in
June 2009 and to be completed after
eight months. However, due to some
valid reasons such as unfavorable
weather condition, the completion period was delayed up to this month
(March 2010). Even with the delay of
the construction, this project can be considered as one of the best SWIPs ever
built.
The project, except for the construction of a concrete flume, is now
ready to serve 50 hectares of rain fed
rice field for 2 crops in a year. More
than 100 farmers will directly benefit
from irrigation. Among the economic
and environmental benefits that the project may provide are: Increased farm
labor employment, more intensive cropping system (2-3 croppings a year), increased farm area, increased yield, fish
culture production (fingerlings and
growing), recreation, revitalized/
Improved hydro-ecology and vegetation
of the watershed, and limited and controlled effect of flooding.
Bongdo SD,
Bongdo, San Benito,
Surigao del Norte
San Benito is a small town in a
remote island of Siargao, Surigao del
Norte, where local people are merely
dependent on copra production and fishing activities. Though they have small
area for rice and vegetable production,
they do not have irrigation facilities to
sustain the production of these two important crops. They also do not have
financial capabilities and knowledge to
(Continued on page 16)
With the construction of the
project, people in this barangay became
very enthusiastic as they look forward to
improve their living condition. They
stressed that they have been waiting for
so long for this opportunity. Accordingly, they have been deprived of any
development efforts from the government for quite some time. At present, the
main dam and reservoir of the SWIP is
already operational. In fact, the reservoir
already harvested and stored rainfall up
to maximum level when rainfall occurred in January this year.
15
WRMD staff inspect the STW at Bongdo in Surigao del Norte. WRMD Chronicles
(Continued from page 15)
raise these crops with available limited
resources.
Cognizant of their deficiencies
with regard to water supply, the LGU
requested the BSWM for technical and
financial assistance on the establishment
of a water resource development project
that would harness and store the water
from the spring for irrigation of palay
and vegetables. After careful assessment of the needs of the barangay, the
BSWM granted the development of their
spring through the GMA Rice Program
of the DA. In 2008, a concrete elevated
water tank equipped with water pump
and pipe distribution lines were installed
to irrigate about 20 hectares of rice and
vegetable production area. From a usual
single cropping of rice a year, the farmers were able to have two croppings of
rice plus vegetables in a year. These
benefits are in the form of an average of
about 3.5 tons of harvested palay per
season plus the production of vegetables
that are sufficient for household consumption and surplus to be put on the
market. The additional income was used
for the school expenses of their children.
Similar to other projects, this
also provided a chain of benefits starting
from the farmer-households who are the
direct beneficiaries of the project extending to the community and neighboring barangays through creation of farm
jobs and other employment, increased
supply of rice and vegetables at a lower
price and reduced migration to urban
areas. It also strengthened the cooperation and unit of the people as they need
to communally manage the project.
Through the project, the
Bongdo Farmers Association was organized for the effective and sustained operation and maintenance of the project’s
facility. Several trainings are in line that
will capacitate the farmers and the community.
WRMD staff poses before the elevated water tank together the beneficiaries of Brgy. Bongdo. households in the community a proteinrich food that is readily available.
Kalinga.
Prior to construction of Andarayan SWIP in 2001, the area was idle
grass land with limited area for corn and
vegetable production. This type of farming provides meager source of income
and food for the community. With the
project, about 100 hectares of this idle
land became irrigated rice land with
assured two (2) cropping per year. Parallel with the project establishment was
the introduction of rice and other crops’
production technologies. Through the
adoption of these high yielding technologies, four tons of palay per hectare
on each cropping was achieved in the
area. Further, this project has enabled
the community to produce fish particularly tilapia in the huge pond area of the
SWIP. This fish production provided the
Andarayan SWIP,
Rizal, Kalinga
From mere idle grassland and a
food-starving community, Barangay
Andarayan became a fish and a sufficient rice-producing community. This is
how the construction of Andarayan
SWIP changed the land use and the lives
of the native villagers in one of the remote places in the Municipality of Rizal,
Pond area on top and service area below 16
Farmers from neighboring
barangays became interested to have
similar project with Andaraya as they
witnessed the transformation of Andaraya villagers; living from shanty huts to
a semi-concrete houses. “Kung nuon
daw ang taga Andaraya, low quality
corn grits lang ang kinakain, ngayon
good quality rice na with matching tilapia pa.” Also, they were able to acquire
farm tractor, thresher and ‘kuliglig’ from
other DA agencies to further improve
their farming practices.
The WRMD can proudly say that
through our SWIP, we were able to
make a difference in the lives of our
upland marginalized farmers.
Mt. Pinatubo
(Continued from page 9)
lems, controlled release of fertilizer is
recommended.
Phosphorus. The supply of
phosphorus on volcanic ash soils is often
very low. Phosphorus is strongly absorbed by non-crystalline aluminum and
iron materials, making its sparingly
available for plant uptake. Liming prior
to phosphorus application is recommended. When applying phosphorus,
band placement instead of broadcast is
recommended.
Potassium. Potassium is present in considerable amounts in fresh
volcanic ashes.
However, available
forms of potassium are often insufficient
for continuous cropping. Since we predict Mt. Pinatubo’s deposits to proceed
to allophanic pathway of soil formation,
allophanic clays do not show preferential retention of K. So the amount of K
tends to decrease with the advance of
soil weathering.
Other soil properties relating
to productivity. Like other volcanic ash
soils, Mt. Pinatubo-influenced volcanic
ash soils would have excellent physical
properties such as high water holding
capacity, favorable tilth, and strong resistance to water erosion. Cultivation of
volcanic ash soils with low bulk density
and friable consistency requires less
energy and can easily produce favorable
seed and root beds. The soil aggregates
are generally highly stable. The soils
are also characterized by rapid infiltration and they are highly permeable.
Microaggregates in volcanic ash soils
show strong resistance to dispersion.
Sustaining volcanic ash soils.
Crop rotation, soil improvement, and
precision agriculture with programmed
fertilization using controlled fertilizers
are encouraged. No-tillage is considered to have an important conservation
advantage and can be easily introduced
to upland farming of Mt. Pinatubo affected soils. In no-tillage, the soil is left
undisturbed and only furrows for planting and fertilization are prepared.
that these materials impart to the soil
structure.
Attenuation of pollutants. The
mineralogy of volcanic ash soils is characterized by the dominance of noncrystalline materials distinguished by
high surface areas and highly reactive;
as well as by variable charge surfaces
that contribute both cation and anion
exchange capacity. Because of these
colloidal properties, volcanic soils can
mitigate adverse effects of anthropogenic pollution. Non-crystalline materials together with high organic matter can
chelate heavy metals, trace elements and
organic compounds thereby preventing
pollutants to leach through ground waters.
Current Activities
Environmental Implications
Important role in global carbon
cycle. Soils formed from volcanic ejecta
contain the largest accumulation of organic carbon from among the Soil Order
classification under Soil Taxonomy
(Eswaran, et.al., 1993). This natural
phenomenon provides an effective sink
for carbon dioxide through carbonic acid
weathering. The organic matter preservation results from burial of soils by
repeated additions of volcanic ash,
chemical interactions with noncrystalline inorganic materials (e.g., allophane,
imogolite, ferrihydrite) and physical
protection from the microaggregation
17
This study is not yet finished.
We are still awaiting completion of the
laboratory analyses of the soil samples
for confirmation of the soil taxonomic
classification and the delivery of 2007
SPOT image of Mt. Pinatubo vicinities
for analysis of current status of lahar
deposits. Beginning July 2008, LandSat7 images can also be accessed freely
in the internet, and we can further continue monitoring the soil development
and formation of the lahar deposits.
Thus the 2008 edition of the Soil Map of
Region III is still subject to further validation despite completion of field activities.
news briefs
KOICA Team Evaluates BSWM Proposal
A team of Korean experts
commissioned by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)
visited the Bureau of Soils and Water
Management (BSWM) on Jan. 25 –
Feb. 11, 2010 in connection with the
proposed project entitled “Mitigating
Climate Change Impact through Sustainable Upland Watershed Management and Installation of Small Water
Impounding Facilities”. The project
was proposed for funding under
KOICA’s East Asia Climate Partnership Project. The six-man team from
Korea’s DONGHO Company were
led by Mr. Park Sang Hyun, its technical director. Representatives from
KOICA Philippines, Mr. Francis
Afable, Program Officer and Ms. Kim
Bomin, Deputy Resident Representative, were also visible in the Bureau
during technical discussions.
The purpose of the visit is to
review and evaluate the technical feasibility of the proposal, conduct consultations and discussions with various stake
holders and gather baseline information
relevant to the proposed project. The
team also conducted actual field visitation of the sites assisted by the technical
staff of the Bureau. During the field
visit, the team coordinated with the Department of Agriculture Regional Offices and Local Government Units who
will be directly involve during the project’s implementation stage. The proposed project sites visited are: Villa
Cayaban SWIP-San Manuel, Passa SRIP
- Ilagan, Calamagui SWIP-Sta. Maria,
Engineer Reynaldo Peregrino discusses the Passa Small River Irrigation Project to Dr. Sang Hyun Park during the site visit to Passa, Ilagan in Isabela. Isabela and Tubungan SWIP-Tubungan,
Cagayan all in Region 2. The other sites
are in Region 10 namely; Paradise
SWIP, Cabanglasan and Managok SWIP
all in Bukidnon.
The proposed project is very
timely as the country reels on the prolonged dry spell brought about by El
Nino phenomenon severely affecting
domestic agricultural production. The
approval of the proposed project will
mitigate climate change impact thru the
provision of irrigation, water supply for
domestic and livestock, rehabilitation of
the watershed thru agro-forestry, capacitate and empower the farmers in the
upland areas, development of inland
fishery production
paving the way to
increased economic
activities in the community .
The proposal is also
envisioned to be a
land mark undertakings between the
Philippines and Korea that will further
strengthen the already
established
and tested friendship
the
two
The KOICA delegation with the BSWM family led by Director of
neighbouring counTejada together with DA Project Development Service staff. 18
tries. In the future, with the anticipated
socio-economic benefits derive from the
project, the Philippines can supply quality agricultural product in Korea when
needed.
The Mission paid a courtesy
call to BSWM Director Silvino Q. Tejada upon arrival which was followed by
a welcome program and orientation at
the Convention Hall. Staff of the Bureau
presented the Climate Change scenario
in the country and the adaptation and
mitigation measures by the Department
of Agriculture. A video presentation
from the Training and Information Dissemination Services on SWIP was wellacknowledged by the KOICA Mission
providing them with a clearer perspective on it. The project proposal technical
review was presented by experts from
the Water Resources Management Division. In the afternoon of the same day,
the KOICA Mission also paid a courtesy
call to Under Secretary Bernadette
Romulo-Puyat relaying their purpose
and intention to the country and to the
DA. From there, the Mission proceeded
to the tour of the facilities of the BSWM.
Cocktails and a brief socials was later
tendered by the Office of the Director to
the visiting guests.
Engr. Diosdado M.Manalus
Jun Abellar
ALMED Launches
More Projects in
2010
The Agricultural Land
Management and Evaluation Division (ALMED) launched the
“Land Use Assessment for Potential Agri-Environmental Development and Investment Project in
the Province of Occidental Mindoro” last February 12, 2010 in
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro participated by Assistant Director
Wilfredo E. Cabezon, Mr. Joven
Espineli with some of the Bureau’s
technical staff and the Mayors of
Occidental Mindoro led by Governor Josephine R. Sato.
Another project, the “Soil/
Land Resources Evaluation & Suitability Assessment for Looc, Occidental Mindoro,” was turned-over to
the Vice-Mayor of Looc, Mr. Apolinar S. Tria. The on-going activities
of the Division include the “Soil/
Land Resources Evaluation Study &
SAFDZ-CLUP Integration Projects”
in Candon City, Ilocos Sur and Gerona, Tarlac. The field works for
these two projects has just been finished and is now on the report writing stage. Ms. Feriola Serrano leads
the Candon City team while Mr.
Bernardo Pascua leads the Gerona
team.
Projects of ALMED that are
awaiting implementation include
Provincial Land Use Assessment for
Oriental Mindoro and Palawan and
the SAFDZ-CLUP Integration Project for Lopez, Quezon and Bauang,
La Union.
Genevieve D. Piencenaves
ERRATUM
The article, “Salandanan,
SWRRD Conduct Echo Seminar on
Organic Farming” from the last issue
of the BSWM Update, OctoberDecember 2009, was written by Ms.
Jenny Anne Perlado and not by Ms.
Karen Salandanan.
SSNM Technology
Survives El Niño in Isabela
A 30-hectare demonstration site in Jones, Isabela surpassed
the challenge of the current El Niño Phenomenon in the county.
The said techno-demo site for the project “Up-scaling of Site Specific Nutrient Management Technology in Jones, Isabela” was
planted with corn and due for harvest between the third week of
March to April 2010. A Technical Working Group and Farmer Cooperators’ Meeting was conducted immediately after the field validation last February 24, 2010.
Among the SSNM treatments, the addition of organic fertilizer
and Bio-N showed promising result for the study. Further improvement
on the said treatment is to incorporate the use of Zinc and Boron in micro-nutrient deficient corn areas, which was proposed by the BSWM.
A study on the “Validation Trials of Zinc and Boron Application in
Corn” was presented by Dr. Gina P. Nilo, the SSNM-TWG Chairperson. This two-year research study aims to develop a database on micronutrient status (Zn, B, Cu, Fe, Mn) of soils in key corn-growing areas;
to determine and validate the response of maize from Zinc and Boron
application (alone and combination) in Zinc and Boron deficient areas;
and to determine yield increase in corn with Zinc and Boron fertilization. More importantly, this treatment is seen to improve nutrient and
water efficiency uptake, root distribution and enhance grain quality.
The said activity will be undertaken by the Bureau in collaboration with
DA-GMA Corn Program, DA-RFUs (RIARCs), DA-BAR and UPLB.
As part of the 2010 project work plan, a field day was conducted
on March 17, 2010 to properly disseminate the information among local
farmers. The event was attended by Assistant Director Wilfredo E. Cabezon for the BSWM.
Despite of the country’s current experience of El Nino phenomenon particularly in Region 2, the project is
looking forward to significant and valuable
results of SSNM technology not only in
terms of yield increase
but also to mitigate the
negative impacts of
drought.
Jenny Anne Perlado
Dr. Gina Nilo in one of the SSNM site in Jones, Isabela. 19
Directions for 2010 Headlines Planning & Budget Workshop
“More challenges are in store for
us this year, so let’s be ready, be prepared
and walang atrasan. After the El Niño in
June, La Niña is on its way. We have to be
prepared. We need serious government
service, we need to be dead-serious on leadership, not only me but also all of you,”
thus was the directions and statements
made by Director Silvino Q. Tejada during the Budget and Planning Workshop
held last February 15 and 16, 2010.
In addition to the Directors’ directions, he emphasized that our Banner Program should focus on the FIELDS Program –
as the Administration’s centerpiece, food
security program will go high gear this year
Director Silvino Q. Tejada addresses the par‐
ticipants on the Bureau’s targets for 2010 during the workshop. SOILSCAPE
as part of the sustained government efforts to
prepare the Philippine structure for the twin
challenges of climate change and the demands of global free trade.
For the Fertilizer component – we
will continue to advocate balanced fertilization and will strongly encourage farmers to
practice sustainable agriculture by providing
them the capacity to produce their organic
fertilizers.
For the Irrigation component –
through funds from the Department, we will
lead in the implementation of Small Scale
Irrigation Projects (SWIP, STW, PISO,
Dams, SFR and Rampumps) in the upland
areas including those farms that are not
reached by the NIA systems. Cloudseeding –
to produce artificial rainfall as one major
intervention in mitigating the effects of El
Nino that will persist even up to June this
year. Of course we also have to prepare other
adaptation measures relevant to climate
change.
For the Education and Extension
component – we are asked to reach out to
farmers in rice production areas with yields
below 3.8 mt/has. This can be done through
our R&D Program in soils and water management. Empowering our Research Stations/Centers – it is my dream that our stations can stand on their own feet, act as catalyst and agent of change and economically
sufficient. I encourage you to work harder
and not rest on your laurels. Expand your
horizons and connections and do some lobbying for support from other local, national
as well as international funding. You exist as
January-March 2010, Vol. 1 No. 1
Editor-in-Chief:
Aurora M. Manalang
Associate Editor:
Lyndon John L. Alcantara
Advisers:
Rodelio B. Carating
Asst. Dir. Wilfredo E. Cabezon
Director Silvino Q. Tejada
BUREAU OF SOILS AND WATER MANAGEMENT
Soils Research Development Center
Elliptical Road corner Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
20
an advocate and leader of agribusiness entrepreneurs. Prepare your agribusiness development plans that will sustain your operations
on top of what you get from your regular
allocations annually. I would like to see that
“once I enter your stations, I could see the
future of agriculture.”
For the Seeds component – “we
can start producing our own seeds that are
for sale, for R&D, for distribution to farmers.
I challenge the stations on this effort to ensure access of farmers to quality seeds by
empowering them to produce their own
seeds. We will continue to provide technical
guidance to LGUs and other groups on soil
and fertility mapping as support to CLUP.
Through the ISMS, we will lead in the updating of SAFDZ-CLUP together with ITCAF
from the allotted budget for GIS/Remote
Sensing (RS) Project which will be handled
by Assistant Director Wilfredo E. Cabezon.”
Part of the two day workshop includes the 2009 Accomplishment Report of
the technical Divisions’ of the Bureau and
the on-going international collaborative projects. Division Chiefs & Project Leaders
reported their major highlight and other accomplishments followed by discussions and
open forum in order to thresh out roadblocks
and focus on the challenges ahead. Assistant
Director Cabezon ended the two day event
with his Closing Remarks emphasizing optimism that all these challenges will be met as
we all continue to move towards addressing
the needs of our target clientele. (PEG/
TIDS)