Growing better vegetables in the Philippines

Paraquat has enabled the development of two new production technologies for vegetable farmers in the Philippines: Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis. These techniques are only possible because paraquat’s key characteristics as a herbicide are that it controls almost all weeds, but only by contact action, and is inactivated as soon as it reaches the soil. Bilis Saka is used to establish crops in a weed-free soil without the need to plough and Bilis Linis allows weeds growing between the rows of plants to be controlled without fear of damaging the crop.

Value in vegetables

Vegetables are a valuable group of literally hundreds of different crops in the Philippines. Although, with around 630,000 hectares harvested annually they may seem dwarfed by more than 6 million hectares of rice and 2.5 million hectares of corn, vegetables are crucial to alleviating poverty and fighting malnutrition. The World Vegetable Center has stated that: “vegetables are vital for healthier diets and help generate stronger economies … especially in developing countries.”

Vegetable growing is the most profitable enterprise for smallholder farmers in the Philippines and generates jobs both on the farm and in the distribution chain in rural and urban areas. For millions of people relying mainly on staple foodstuffs such as rice and corn, vegetables are the solution to the ‘hidden hunger’ caused by lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet. Deficiencies not only lead to many growth and development disorders in children and adults, but also affect the immune system and susceptibility to infection.

For instance, ampalaya or bitter melon (Momordica charantia), a cucurbit, has been recommended by the Department of Health in the Philippines to help with liver problems, diabetes and HIV.

Pumpkins, eggplants, tomatoes and string beans are some of the biggest vegetable crops grown in the Philippines, and export crops such as okra are now familiar all around the world. However, the diversity of vegetable crops is incredible with nearly 80% of the total area down to crops which are individually too small to classify in the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s statistics. These include crops such as sitao (snake bean), kinchai, (Chinese celery), kondol (hairy melon) and patola, the ridged luffa

Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis

The key issues and constraints to improved vegetable production in the Philippines have been described by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research as:

• Efficiency and sustainability of production
• Crop safety and quality
• Post-harvest losses

Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis are paraquat-based systems which form a strong foundation to address these issues.

Farmers traditionally plough as the first of several cultivations to prepare a seedbed and control weeds. This incurs high costs, takes a lot of time and leads to soil erosionDescription Displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) usually by the agents of currents such as, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://soilerosion.net/ This site brings together reliable information on soil erosion from a wide range of disciplines and sources. It aims to be the definitive internet source for those wishing to find out more about soil loss and soil conservation.. Later, when crops are established, weeding is a major burden on farmers and their families.

Scientists at Benguet State University in the north of the Philippines have worked with vegetable growers to investigate the benefits of adopting Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis techniques. In the first season of trials on potatoes and cabbages Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis methods were found to reduce soil erosion and water run-offDescription The occurrence of surplus liquid (like rain) which originates up-slope and is collected beyond the ability of the soil to absorb it. The surplus liquid then flows away over the surface to reach the nearest surface water (pond, lake, river). Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://www.sowap.org/index.htm SOWAP (Soil and Water Protection) is a collaboration between industry, NGOs, universities and farmers to test a range of site-specific soil management methods, based on the concept of conservation tillage. It has looked at economic and environment aspects including effects on soil erosion and run-off. by over one third and to reduce farm input costs by 73%.

Bilis Saka involves only cultivating fields in narrow strips in which rows of crops will be planted. Weeds are then controlled by paraquat and seeding or transplanting can follow immediately because paraquat is deactivated on contact with soil.

Vegetable growers found that excellent weed control was achieved within a day or so of spraying. Important grass weedsDescription The leaves are "narrow" as opposed to the "broad" leaves of broadleaved weeds. Also called 'monocots' having one seed leaf opposed to 'dicots' having two seed leaves. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://iws.ucdavis.edu/ The International Weed Science Society represents individual associations around the world. Details of these regional associations are listed. such as Eleusine indica and Digitaria ciliaris and broadleavesDescription The leaves are "broad" as opposed to the "narrow" leaves of grasses. Also called 'dicots' having two seed leaves, while grasses are 'monocots' having one seed leaf. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://iws.ucdavis.edu/ The International Weed Science Society represents individual associations around the world. Details of these regional associations are listed. like Commelina diffusa and Euphorbia hirta were quickly burned down by spraying as little as 80 ml of formulated paraquat diluted in 16 litres of water through a knapsack sprayer. The ground was free of weeds for several weeks, but new weed seedlings eventually emerged and perennialsDescription Weeds that return year after year. Some die back in the winter but their roots remain alive and shoots reappear in spring; some don't die back and grow in size and stature the next season. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://iws.ucdavis.edu/ The International Weed Science Society represents individual associations around the world. Details of these regional associations are listed. re-grew. Small weeds protect soil from erosion by rain and do not reduce yields so long as they can be controlled again before they compete with the crop. This is where Bilis Linis comes in. Paraquat cannot damage crop plants by root uptake and if sprayed carefully will not damage crop foliage either. Unlike systemic herbicides such as glyphosate, paraquat only destroys green tissue in immediate contact and does not move to growing points. So, using Bikis Linis, paraquat is sprayed to control weeds growing between the crop rows before they compete with the crop, harbour pests and diseases or interfere with harvesting.

Bilis Saka and Bilis Linis are good examples of how innovative, yet simple, techniques can improve crop production efficiency and sustainability thanks to paraquat’s unique properties as a herbicide.

Read about the Sagip Lupa project for soil erosion in the Philippines here.

References

The World Vegetable Center: www.avrdc.org
The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research: www.aciar.gov.au
Information on indigenous vegetables in the Philippines from the Utrecht Faculty of Education: http://www.philippines.hvu.nl/vegetables1.htm
Statistics from FAOSTAT (UN Food & Agriculture Organisation: http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/default.aspx