In ensuring the sustainability and expansion of Pili production in Sorsogon, SorSU Castilla Pili Extension Team headed by Prof. Andrew F. Detera conducted a two-day seminar workshop on Pili Propagation and Nursery Management which was participated by the 2nd batch of Brgy. Canjela Farmers and aspiring young agri-preneurs on August 30-31, 2023, at FTC Hall, SorSU Castilla Campus.
At the start of each training, Ms. Maribel Nolla, the assistant project leader, gave an overview of the activities and the status of the Pili industry (on behalf of Dr. Oscar Peter Pascual) to highlight the economic importance of Pili not only in Sorsogon but also globally. This was followed by the training on Pili Nursery Management wherein the establishment of nursery, seednut preparation, sowing, transplanting, care and maintenance of Pili seedlings were discussed by Mr. Brian Gabriel Buenaobra. In the afternoon, Ms. Cristy Jintalan and Prof. Detera led the training on different methods of asexual propagation of Pili namely cleft grafting and inarching. Ms. Jintalan underscored the significance of each method in relation to the dioecious nature of Pili. Afterwards, Ms. Alet Bacelonia, Mr. Lester Lleva, and Mr. Rey Ariola (project staffs) demonstrated the step-by-step procedure of cleft grafting to the trainees with the assistance of Prof. Mark John Guysayko. To further equip them with practical skills, trainees were divided into groups and performed what they learned in the cleft-grafting demonstration. Certificates of completion and participation were awarded to all trainees who successfully finished the workshops.
This extension activity is a product of the “Massive Seedling Production and Distribution under Bayanihan II: Establishment Center” funded by Department of Agriculture and Sorsogon State University. (SorSU Castilla Campus)
