July 7, 2026 — The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), through the Crop Research and Production Support Division (BPI-CRPSD), formally opened the 2026 Pre-In-House Research and Development (R&D) Review on July 7 at the Director’s Office Conference Room. The activity brought together researchers and personnel from the Agricultural Engineering Division (BPI-AED), Crop Pest Management Division (BPI-CPMD), and BPI-CRPSD to present and evaluate ongoing, completed, and proposed research projects focused on improving agricultural productivity, managing plant pests and diseases, advancing farming technologies, and developing other innovations that will benefit the agricultural sector.

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On the first day of the activity, participants presented their studies before a panel of technical experts and invited evaluators composed of Engr. Chito F. Sace, Ph.D., Abe, LPT, Research Specialist from Aurora State College of Technology; Barbara L. Caoili, Ph.D., Director of the National Crop Protection Center, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB); Alissa Carol M. Ibarra, Supervising Science Research Specialist II and ISP Manager of DOST-PCAARRD; Joel L. Adorada, Ph.D., Agricultural Center Chief IV of BPI-Los Baños; and Hidelisa D. De Chavez, Research Specialist from Aurora State College of Technology. Each presentation underwent a thorough evaluation and received comments and recommendations to further enhance the quality, technical content, and relevance of the research. The review aims to ensure that these studies provide practical and science-based solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector while addressing the needs of farmers and other stakeholders.

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The following research studies were presented:

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• Performance and Biological Efficiency Evaluation of a Developed Indoor Cultivation System for Banana-Straw Mushroom (Volvariella volvacea)

• Modification and Performance Evaluation of the BPI Rice Hull Carbonizer

• CSPM Project: Component 1 – Effects of Spore Concentration and Monoconidial Isolates on the Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana Against Nilaparvata lugens, the Rice Brown Planthopper, Under Laboratory Conditions

• CSPM Project: Component 2 – Effects of Spore Concentration and Monoconidial Isolates on the Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana Against Nilaparvata lugens, the Rice Brown Planthopper, Under Screenhouse Conditions

• CSPM Project: Component 3 – Optimizing the Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana Against Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) in Lowland Rice: Effects of Storage Duration and Spore Concentration Under Field Conditions

• CSPM Project: Component 4 – Assessing Farmers’ Acceptance of Beauveria bassiana as a Bioinsecticide for Brown Planthopper Management in Lowland Rice Fields of Nagcarlan, Laguna

• Field Evaluation of Selected Insecticides Against ‘Kurikong’ Mango Cecid Fly (Procontarinia frugivora) in Selected Mango-Producing Areas in the Philippines

• On-Farm Evaluation on Succeeding Planting Generations of Tissue-Cultured Purple Yam (Dioscorea alata L.) Using Sack Cultivation Technology for Seed Multiplication

• On-Farm Evaluation on Succeeding Planting Generations of Tissue-Cultured Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Using Sack Cultivation Technology for Seed Multiplication

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The 2026 Pre-In-House R&D Review continues today, July 8, 2026, with additional research presentations and the formulation of recommendations that will guide the further enhancement of BPI’s research outputs.