PCARRD, DA-BAR hold 2 PGR trainings

Plant genetic resources (PGRs)––the initial building blocks of new and improved varieties and sources of novel genes––were the subject of two trainings recently sponsored by PCARRD and the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

On May 29 to June 2, the training on PGR conservation and management was held at the National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory (NPGRL) of the Institute of Plant Breeding at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

Resource persons from UPLB provided lectures and specialist training on the different aspects of conserving and maintaining plant germplasm. Skills and knowledge learned from this five-day training are expected to boost the PGR conservation and management programs of the agencies.

Participants were from DA, its bureaus (BAR and Bureau of Plant Industry [BPI]), and its research centers in Davao, Negros Occidental, Los Baños, Lipa City, and Palawan; the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) Region 5; and state universities and colleges (SUCs) that include Cavite State University (CavSU), University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Aklan State University, and Central Luzon State University.

On June 5–9, the training on PGR documentation and information management followed at the BPI Los Baños National Crop Research and Development Center.

The training aimed to enhance knowledge on germplasm documentation, data analysis, and information management.

Lecturers from UPLB talked about electronic documentation systems; data generation; spatial data analysis; and diversity analysis using the Shannon-Weaver Index, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis.

Northern Philippine Rootcrops Research and Training Center; and Philippine Rootcrops Research and Training Center. (Eileen C. Cardona, S&T Media Service; with reports and photos from Noel A. Catibog)