The Queen Pineapple Research & Development (R&D) Center in Camarines Norte is currently developing interventions to attain a sustainable, efficient, and profitable Queen Pineapple (QP) industry.
The Center implements six component projects that generally aim to improve crop protection management, enhance the production of quality QP, and optimize planting material size and flower induction time. Funded under the Accelerated Research and Development (R&D) Program for Capacity Building of R&D Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness: Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) Program, the projects are being implemented by the Camarines Norte State College (CNSC) and led by Dr. Arlene C. Alegre, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 5 (DA RFO 5).
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), recently monitored and visited the Queen Pineapple R&D Center in Camarines Norte. The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team from the Crops Research Division (CRD) of DOST-PCAARRD visited two sites in Labo, Camarines Norte for the projects, “Standardization of Planting Materials and Time of Flower Induction for Optimized Yield of Queen Pineapple” and “Resource Management Practices in Queen Pineapple Production under various cropping systems and ecological conditions: Basis for Sustainable Development Interventions” led by Engr. Eula D. Rada of DA-RFO 5 and Ms. Rohilyn E. Colenares of CNSC, respectively.
Engr. Rada said that the yield response of QP to different flower induction times and different sizes of planting materials were investigated to provide a basis for improved QP production practices. On the other hand, Ms. Colenares is conducting baseline surveys on land utilization in QP production under different slopes and characterizing QP farmlands in flat, slightly rolling, and hilly areas in the province.
The project will establish interventions to increase marketable size of QP, increase nutrient and water-use efficiency, and improve the soil physical and chemical characteristics. Ultimately, the results of the project would translate into an increase in QP yield and income of farmers.
The CRD M&E team was led by Ms. Renelle C. Yebron, head of Program Monitoring and Evaluation and Program-based Information System and Ms. Kimberly Zarah B. Locsin, Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) manager for QP. The team was welcomed by Dr. Marlo M. Dela Cruz, president of Camarines Norte State College (CNSC).