The Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) through the Cereal Crops Section and in cooperation with the Calamba City Agriculture Office conducted a three-day training titled “Basic Training on Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV) Corn Seed Production and Certification”, held last February 6 to 8, 2023 at the CLDD Training Center, Calamba City.
The training focused on the fundamentals of OPV corn seed production, specifically maintaining genetic identity, varietal purity, and standards of quality seeds of superior crop varieties. The fifty-five (55) participants included members of Brgy. Burol Organic Agriculture Cooperative (BBOACo) and corn farmers from other barangays such as Balagbag-Araw, Canlubang, Kay-Anlog, Majada and staff from the City Agriculture Office of Calamba City, who attended to revive their experience on seed certification and learn the basics of corn OPV cultural management. Experts from UPLB, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Department of Agriculture (DA) served as resource persons during the training. Insect pest identification in the field, demo on soil test kit, and seed germination practicum were also conducted during the training.
Dr. Edralina Serrano of UPLB Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center (PHTRC) discussed the vital role of seed health during corn post-harvest.
Weed management is one of the steep inputs in crop production. Dr. Joy Abit from UPLB Institute of Weed Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology (IWEP) tackled the basics on proper weed control and herbicide sprays that will be suitable in their areas.
Farmers also had a hands-on germination test which is a basic procedure in certifying OPV corn.
The participants displayed enthusiasm in the activity and even requested for follow-up topics on cropping system, corn utilization and marketing, and hands-on weed management.
The training is an important requirement in their application to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) for accreditation as corn seed grower. The IPB-Cereal Crops Section, a BPI-accredited seed grower for more than three years, led the second training after the pandemic. This activity is an output of the Enhanced Creative Work and Research Grant (ECWRG) – UP System-funded project titled “From seeds to grits: Addressing food value chain challenges through case study analysis and promotion of white corn as an alternative staple” led by Ms. Ayn Kristina M. Beltran. (Lorna G. Matanguihan, Ayn Kristina M. Beltran)