𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐏𝐂𝐀𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐃-𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 ‘𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫’ 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚

The research on rubber funded by University of Southern Mindanao (USM) and Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) received another “Best Poster” award during the International Rubber Conference 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last February 20-22, 2023, with the event jointly organized by the International Rubber Research Development Board (IRRDB) and the Malaysian Rubber Board.

The title of the winning poster is “𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙢 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙍𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙞 𝙖𝙨 𝘽𝙞𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙣” authored by CA faculty Prof. Bernadith T. Borja and Dr. Tamie C. Solpot, USM-VPRDE Dr. Ma. Teodora N. Cabasan, and research assistants Melesa M. Prado and Jomarie Abubakar.

With the theme: “Natural Rubber in Net Zero World: Challenges and Opportunities”, the event was attended by several rubber researchers, investors, stakeholders in different countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, China, France, Cote de’ivoire, Bangladesh and Singapore.

Dr. Solpot also presented their paper during concurrent session titled “ Neopestalotiopsis Foliar Disease of Rubber in the Philippines”, which is a country report on Pestalotiopsis disease of rubber co- authored by Mr. Meynard Abello (PRRI), Dr. Jill D. Villanueva (PRRI), and Mr. John Benrich Zuniga (DOST-PCAARRD).

Meanwhile, a sideline meeting was done upon the request of the Philippine delegates during the conference with the IRRDB Plant Pathologists/experts to discuss mitigation measures and share their best practices to manage the dreadful Pestalotiopsis disease of rubber. An output on disease surveillance in Basilan, BARMM by a PRRI-USM project titled” Artificial Intelligence Based Diagnostic Clinic for Detection, Surveillance, and Monitoring System for the Management of Rubber Diseases and Insect Pests” was also presented by Dr. Villanueva of PRRI during the meeting.

The attendance of the Philippine delegates in the IRC 2023 was sponsored by the Provincial Government of Cotabato through Gov. Em,ylou “Lala” Taliño Mendoza and their respective agencies.

Both USM [the base agency of SOXAARRDEC] and PRRI are active members of the SOXAARRDEC and projects to be funded by PCAARRD are endorsed by the consortium.