Lucena City, Quezon, The Philippines
August 15, 2011
Croplife Philippines, the Belgium-based Insect Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 4-A conducted a training workshop on insecticide resistance management held at the Sulo Riviera Hotel Lucena City, Aug. 12.
Leticia Hernandez, regional officer of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Development Authority Region 4A said the seminar-workshop aimed to update the participants on the strategies in insect resistance management. The training also promoted integrated pest management strategies to prevent the development of resistant strains of major insect pests on cabbage and eggplant.
The municipal agriculture officers, researchers and company agronomists from the different towns of Quezon province participating in the said training program.
The workshop was created due to recent reports that the diamondback moth, a pest attacking leafy vegetables, was starting to become insecticide resistant.
Executive Director Dr. Norlito Gicana of the DA’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority said the DA’s is cooperating with CropLife and the private sector for the Food Staple Sufficiency Program.
He encouraged the private sector to help in the proper documentation of field experiments so as to further science-based agriculture in the country.
Dr. Lourdes Taylo of the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los banos (UPLB) tackled the general principles and practice of integrated pest management and insect resistance management.
Dr. Mario Navasero of the crop protection cluster of the UPLB discussed “Resistance issues in cabbage: Philippine Experience”
Dr. Eulogio Cordona Jr. of Benguet State University (BSU) outlined the promise of natural bio-control agents like diadegma and cotesia, natural wasp-like parasites that attack the larvae of the diamond back moth. Diadegma is seen to be appropriate for use in cooler, upland areas while cotesia is for warmer areas in low land applications.
Diadegma and cotesia physically attack the larvae of diamond back moth, depositing their own eggs in them that, in turn, as parasiticlarvae, devour the moth larvae from inside. Diadegma and cotesia are therefore seen as good bio-control agents to complement environment-friendly chemical insecticides to avoid development of insecticide resistance. BSU rears and distributes these bio-control agents to farmers for dispersal.
Dr. John Andaloro of IRAC International emphasized the need to alternate the use of insecticides that have different modes of action rather than just using different generic products and brands. Various brands across competing companies may exhibit the same mode of action on the insect populations, thereby increasing the possibility of resistance development in succeeding insect generations, Andaloro added. (Ruel Orinday/PIA-Quezon with reports from Dr. Nap Saavedra, CropLife Stewardship Program)
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