Abaca Breeding for a More Viable Philippine Abaca Industry

Professorial Chair Lecture

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Professorial Chair Lecture

Place

Institute of Plant Breeding-Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture, UPLB, College, Laguna

Date

2010

Abstract

Abaca (Musa textilis Nee.), a plant native to the Philippines, is the source of fiber known internationally as Manila hemp. It is indigenous to the Philippines whose favorable climatic condition and volcanic soils are suited to its cultivation. It is often used as a raw material for specialty papers such as currency notes, filter papers, stencil papers, tea bags among others. The abaca industry is a major dollar earner and an important export crop of the country. Due to the current concern for biodegradable products and forest conservation, it is expected that the abaca industry will continue to flourish in both domestic and international markets. With the advent of new uses of abaca, the crop will be extensively utilized for more industrial applications because it is a natural and superior material. The abaca industry continues to make a stronghold in both international and domestic markets generating US$80 M annually from 1996 to 2000. Being an export-oriented commodity, the abaca industry has maintained its status as the world's largest producer accounting for 97% share of world imports. However, the abaca industry is still relying solely on traditional varieties for its survival in the absence of new and improved ones. This is one reason why there is a decline in the abaca industry because limited attention is devoted to varietal improvement. The old abaca varieties have outlived their usefulness and now become easy prey for disease devastation.

Different plant breeding techniques should be employed to develop abaca varieties processing desirable traits like high fiber yield, good fiber quality and high degree of resistance to major diseases of abaca. With conventional breeding method coupled with the recent advances in molecular biology and biotechnology, a more directed solution to disease problem of the industry can now be identified. It is possible to fish out resistance genes from abaca varieties or in wild relatives. With basic knowledge on mechanisms of abaca-pathogen interactions, similar approaches can be applied to abaca breeding to produce durable resistances at a much faster pace. These improved abaca varieties can either be used for commercial planting or as genetic stocks for the development of high yielding varieties resistant to various diseases. The availability of employed with sound resistance management schemes brings forth a package of technology that could make abaca one of the top foreign exchange of earner of the country.

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Language

English

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