DIFFUN, Quirino – The sharp decline in the population of native trees because of destructive and extractive human activities led the Quirino State University (QSU) to exert more effort to protect and rapidly multiply high-quality planting stocks of native tree species in the region.
With funding support from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), QSU implemented the project, “Development of Clonal Propagation Protocols for Native Forest and Fruit-Bearing Tree Species of Quirino and Nearby Provinces.”
Spearheaded by For. Edgar Benabise, this project aims to develop macro-clonal propagation protocols for native forest trees and native fruit-bearing trees using stem cuttings and assess their early growth performance in the field.
The project team was able to develop a 10m x 21m hardening nursery and ramet garden with seedlings of selected native tree species: 'bignai,' 'balobo,' 'anonas,' 'katmon,' 'kamagong,' 'kapulasan,' 'bani,' 'bolong-eta,' 'lipote,' 'anabiong,' and 'lubeg.' Other notable accomplishments from the project are the various IEC materials developed from the project for dissemination.
According to For. Benabise, the dwindling population and the continued threat to native trees justify the need to exert more effort to protect and rapidly multiply quality planting stocks. Vegetative propagation technique by stem cutting has also been recognized as an effective method of mass propagating exact copies of desirable plants for clonal plantation, reforestation, and commercial purposes.