SRA Eyes Mass Production of Fungi vs. RSSI Infestation

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is conducting further studies for the mass production of entomo-pathogenic fungi to counter the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation.

This was among the actions presented by the SRA during the training-workshop on RSSI management and open data kit application at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Monday.

“We have a breakthrough. SRA found a certain fungus in Capiz. A few months ago, we brought it to La Granja Station. We produced more of it and had it observed. So far, the fungus aggressively attacks the adult RSSI. It’s a big breakthrough. It’s natural, not chemical,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said in an interview.

He said two beneficial fungi with scientific names Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana are being studied as a long-term solution to RSSI.

“We hope to multiply it to a point that we can distribute it for free to the farmers for spraying. We can actually teach the farmers’ associations, the local government units (LGUs) to replicate it, to multiply it. It’s easy to do, it’s a natural-occurring fungus in sugarcane,” Azcona said.

RSSI could reduce the sugar content of infested canes by almost 50 percent, according to the SRA.
As of July 9, Negros Occidental has the highest total area affected at 2,876.28 hectares out of the 2,932.13 hectares of RSSI-infected sugarcane farms in Negros and Panay.

Some 1,574 farmers in 113 barangays of 21 LGUs in the province have been affected.

In Negros Oriental, infestation was reported in Mabinay (3.5 hectares); Iloilo – Anilao and Barotac Nuevo (29.15 hectares); and Capiz – Sigma, Panit-an, Pontevedra, and Dao (23.20 hectares).

Meanwhile, recovering areas have reached 237.66 hectares after farmers followed the recommendation to de-trash infested leaves and burn them away from the sugarcane areas and to immediately apply insecticides.

In Negros Occidental, 110.91 hectares of recovering areas have been reported in Manapla, while Victorias City reported 22.25 hectares; Bago City – 22.52 hectares; Murcia – 26.76; E.B. Magalona – 38.62; and Silay City – three hectares,
Anilao, Sigma, and Panit-an reported recovering areas from three to seven hectares.

SRA agriculturist Mikko Libo-on said they are developing a software application that will create a dashboard for reporting of validated RSSI cases.

“Data presented in the situationer update is based on validated areas of SRA technical and field personnel as to visual incidence of RSSI,” he added.* (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)