The Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) in Region 6 conducted a corn pest monitoring training, aimed at improving pest monitoring and management in Murcia, Negros Occidental last week.
Thirty agricultural technicians and farmer-leaders from the municipalities and cities in Negros Occidental participated in the activity.
Based on the Bantay Peste Brigade concept, the training focused on equipping agricultural technicians, corn farm leaders, and farmers with the skills needed to identify and manage major corn pests and diseases.
Continuous corn planting has been linked to frequent outbreaks of pests, necessitating a robust monitoring system for effective pest management decisions, the DA6 said in a press release June 4.
Key presentations included updates on regional corn program activities by Renan Palomo, regional corn program action officer; an overview of major corn pests and diseases by Ian Mark Ciocon, science research specialist II at the RCPC; and techniques on corn pest monitoring, biological control agents, and fall armyworm (FAW) identification and management by Micheal Magan, science research specialist II.
The training also featured practical fieldwork, where participants applied monitoring techniques and processed collected field data. Ryan Rasgo, chief of the RCPC, also discussed insect pest management (IPM) concepts and principles.
The training aimed to refresh participants’ knowledge on identifying and managing major corn pests and diseases, train farmer-leaders and farmers to identify useful organisms in the corn ecosystem, update agricultural extension workers (AEWs) on monitoring and sampling techniques and data collection, and enhance AEWs’ understanding of pest and disease management strategies for timely recommendations to farmers.
It also underscored the role of farmer pest scouts, who will monitor and manage pests within their production clusters, with guidance from provincial or municipal crop protection specialists.
This initiative aims to create a sustainable and effective pest management system, ultimately leading to higher corn yields and improved agricultural productivity in Negros Occidental, the DA added. ||
