A research internship program with the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños on the validation of Banatech : Banana harvest date estimator mobile application

Date

6-2024

Academic Strand

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strand

Adviser

Job Jonas C. Ruzgal

Principal

Buela, Mabel S.

Abstract

In the pursuit to reinvigorate the agricultural sector of the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has adopted the One DA Reform Agenda, which includes the development and integration of agrotechnology. Inspired by this initiative, the Department of Science and Technol ogy - Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) developed BanaTech, a mobile application for estimating the date of banana harvest. Accordingly, the objective of the research internship is to learn and develop skills necessary for banana production and crop research; and then apply these in a study validating BanaTech. In collaborati on with the Institute of Crop Sciences (1CropS), the researchers immersed themselves in crop research field work to familiarize themselves with banana management and producti on. In this internship, the researchers aimed to validate Bana Tech by assessing its forecast accuracy on harvest dates. Using Banatech, the researchers determined the phenol ogical growth timeline of 38 Saba banana from a plantation managed by the Institute of Plant Breeding in Brgy. Tranca, Bay, Laguna. The predicted and actual dates of harvest, as well as predicted and actual growing degree days, were determined and recorded to be used for testing forecast accuracy. The mean absolute percentage error was calculated to test for forecast accuracy and mean algebraic percentage error was used for bias testing Local weather and climate data for the growing period were also analyzed for the presence of environmental stressors. Results showed that BanaTech generally had highly-accurate forecasting with no substantial bias In terms of calendar days, there was 92.9885% accuracy and a 2.8892% bias, while for GDD, there was 92.9695%o accuracy and a -4.7299% bias. There were no signs of heat stress but a possibility of water stress that can be balanced by Saba's inherent tolerance to water deficit.

Language

English

LC Subject

Capstone

Location

UP Rural High School

Document Type

Capstone

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