A semi-annual publication of the Philippine Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology

Volume 1, Number 1 January 2010

A Message from the PAPTCB President

Dear Colleagues,
Production Staff We are privileged to present the first issue of our very own PAPTCB Newsletter, the
publication which our society envisioned will connect all our members from northern
Editor-in-Chief Philippines to the south. With this newsletter, we aim to exchange information, update the
Osmundo D. Orense members of the latest news regarding the PAPTCB and the Federation of Crop Science
Societies of the Philippines (FCSSP), the federation of six crop science societies of the
Editorial Board Philippines of which the PAPTCB is a member, and the latest progress in plant tissue
Lilian F. Pateña culture and biotechnology. For the maiden issue, we feature a short write-up about our
Nenita V. Desamero society and the current board of directors, our latest society convention, the 6th, held on
Editha M. Abrigo October 26-30, 2008 at the Splash Mountain Resort, Los Baños, Laguna, and the 20th
Olivia P. Damasco FCSSP scientific conference held on May 18-23, 2009 at the Silliman University, Dumaguete
Lina B. Torrizo City. We enjoin our members to contribute articles and other forms of donation for the
Ma. Lourdes O. Cedo continued publication of our newsletter. Active members will automatically receive our
Cristeta A. Cueto newsletter in pdf file via email from our secretary. We invite all members to actively
Villaluz Z. Acedo participate in all our society activities.
Henedinah Chan
Best wishes to all!
Sai Leng Lilian F. Pateña

6th PAPTCB Scientific Convention a Resounding Success

by Edith Abrigo
The 6th PAPTCB Scientific Conference was held at Splash
Mountain Resort, Los Baños, Laguna on Oct. 26-30, 2008. The
Convention coincided with the 20th Anniversary of the
Association and adopted the theme, “Biotechnology for Food
Sufficiency”. There were 89 participants, 28 of whom were
inducted as new members. There were 32 posters and 10 oral
papers presented. The Convention was co-sponsored by the
University of the Philippines Los Baños and the Bureau of Plant
Industry.
Join in the Search for the Title of our
Technical activities during the Convention were divided PAPTCB Newsletter and Win Cash
into 4 Plenary, 2 Poster, 2 Oral/Best Paper and Techno-Demo
The PAPTCB Board of Directors allocated
Sessions. Tours of Gene Bank and Rice World at IRRI, Philhybrid
PhP2,000.00 for any member who can suggest the
and O’Mark Virgin Coconut Oil laboratories, PCTCL, National
most appropriate title for our Newsletter. Please e-
Plant Genetic Resource Laboratory (NPGRL) and Biosafety Level mail your suggested title on or before April 30,
Two (BLT2) Greenhouse of IPB and Gintong Talulot Nursery at
2010 to edithabrigo@yahoo.com.
Bay, Laguna culminated the affair.

Contents Contents Contents Contents Contents Contents Contents Contents

Contents
A Message from the President ............................................................. 1 Posters and Exhibits Committee of the 20th FCSSP
6th PAPTCB Scientific Convention a Resounding Success .................. 1 Conference assigned to PAPTCB .................................... 4
Meet our 2008 PAPTCB honorary fellow 2 PAPTCB defies global financial crisis! ............................................. 5
PhilRice Researchers bagged the 6th PAPTCB Convention’s ............. Call for Papers or Articles ............................................................... 5
BEST PAPER Award ............................................................ 3 Help Wanted .................................................................................... 5
It was a tie for the BEST POSTER Award ............................................ 3 PAPTCB Regional Symposium in the Visayas ................................ 5
20th FCSSP Scientific Conference held ................................................ 4 From Palawan to Baguio .................................................................. 6
PAPTCB Brief Account and Officers for 2008 – 2010 ...................... 6

Page 1 of 6 pages
 Meet our 2008 PAPTCB honorary fellow
by Nenette Desamero
Let us applaud and know better
our 2008 PAPTCB honorary fellow
awardee, Mrs. Erlinda Paje Rillo.
Manang Linda, as I call her, was
affiliated with the Philippine
Coconut Authority-Albay Research
Center at Guinobatan, Albay since
1976 until her retirement as
Division Chief III in February 2008.
She was DOST-conferred Career
Scientist IV in 2004 and has
received 19 national and 11
institutional awards. Among the
most recent national awards she
received include the (1) Plaque of
Recognition for her dedication and
valuable contribution to the
advancement of Science and
Technology as Career Scientist IV in the field of Agricultural
Sciences from 21 April 1992 to 21 Feb. 2008. Given by
Honorable Karina Constantino-David and Secretary Estrella
F. Alabastro on January 29, 2008 at the Asian Institute of
Management, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City; (2) 2007
Distinguished Alumna Award for Coconut Research and
Development, awarded by the UPLB College of Agriculture
Alumni Association, October 9, 2007, UPLB Campus,
College, Laguna; and (3) National Gawad Saka Award as
the 2007 Outstanding Agricultural Scientist, awarded by
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Malacanang Palace,
July 14, 2007.
Manang Linda started her work in May 1964 as assistant to
FAO-UNDP consultants working on the coconut cadang-
cadang disease at the then Bureau of Plant Industry,
Guinobatan Experiment Station, Guinobatan, Albay, until
such time that it was found out that the causal agent of the
disease is a viroid. What was written in the following
citation is just an excerpt from her voluminous accounts of
accomplishments as a researcher and a full pledged
scientist. As a retiree, she is now a full pledged
businesswoman.
The Philippine Association of Plant Tissue Culture and
Biotechnology awards the 2008 Honorary fellow to
ERLINDA P. RILLO
In recognition of her dedicated and exemplary research
undertakings on tissue culture for clonal propagation and safe
germplasm exchange for coconut, and mass propagation of
Makapuno resulting in the upscaling of dissemination,
demonstration and adoption of embryo cultured Makapuno.
She sourced out funds from several national and international
agencies to finance her research on clonal propagation of
coconut and Makapuno using immature embryo, inflorescence
and plumular tissue, and optimization of embryo culture for
collection, conservation and exchange of coconut germplasm
and in vitro propagation protocols for coconut. Her initiatives
led to the establishment of the Tissue Culture Division of the
Philippine Coconut Authority-Agricultural Research Center.
As the international coordinator of the Coconut Embryo Culture
Network of the International Coconut Genetics Resources
Network (COGENT), she provided technical expertise and
made significant contributions in the establishment of coconut
embryo culture laboratories in
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea,
Vietnam and Thailand.
She is instrumental in the
development and advancement of the
Makapuno farming in the country by
strategic dissemination of tissue
cultured Makapuno to coconut
farmers through establishment of
satellite laboratories and techno-demo
farms in Davao, Zamboanga,
Tacloban City, Pangasinan, Cavite,
Lipa City, Tarlac City, Ligao City
and Quezon, and by providing
technical supervision in the
establishment of a now productive 10-
hectare plantation in Sorsogon.
She initiated the planting of the
“kabuwig”, normal nuts from embryo cultured Makapuno palm
on the premise that farmers will get more Makapuno bearing
palms, and the collection, conservation and mass propagation
by embryo culture of a “lono” coconut, a soft endosperm
coconut mutant, with rich creamy taste, soft until maturity,
and consumable at a wide coconut age range.
Before her retirement, she led two research projects, which runs
from 2007 to 2010, on the micropropagation of Makapuno
using plumular tissues as explants, and development of protocol
for clonal propagation of coconut towards improving the
efficiency of somatic embryo formation, germination and
plantlet regeneration.
She never gets tired of doing research even after her retirement,
as she is currently leading the implementation of a project on
the evaluation of the field performance of embryo cultured
dwarf Makapuno at Lipa Agricultural Experiment Station and
Quezon Agricultural Experiment Station (QAES) and its mass
production using the embryo culture technique at QAES, funded
by the cash award she received as the awardees for the 2007
DA-Gnawed Sake Outstanding Agricultural Scientist.
Page 2 of 6 pages
PhilRice
by Researchers bagged the 6th PAPTCB Convention’s BEST PAPER Award
by Olie Damasco
PhP5, 000.00
Out of ten competing entries, the paper, entitled Exploiting Somaclonal Variation in Developing Rice Tolerant to
Drought Stress, won the Best Paper Award. Following is the Abstract of the Paper submitted to the Oral Paper Committee.

EXPLOITING SOMACLONAL VARIATION IN DEVELOPING RICE TOLERANT TO DROUGHT STRESS

Nenita V. Desamero, Martha V. Chico, Henry T. Ticman, Desire O Roldan, Tahere A. Sigari
Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija
mail: nvdesamero@philrice.gov.ph

In our earlier work, we have generated and developed doubled haploid breeding lines from a popular rice variety IR64 through anther culture.
Selected eight doubled haploid lines (DHL) and the seed-derived IR64 were subjected to a second cycle of in vitro culture, using anther, mature seed
and young inflorescence as explants. One cycle of tissue culture for seed-derived IR64 yielded 520 in vitro culture-derived (IVC) R1 lines, composed of
125 DHL, 190 seed culture-derived lines (SCL) and 205 inflorescence-derived lines (ICL). The second cycle of tissue culture generated 1717 R1 lines
comprising of 934 DHL, 817 SCL and 486 ICL. With losses due to poor germination and storage, and rejection due to poor phenotypic acceptability,
1982, 1439 and 538 of the 2237 R1, IVC lines survived to R2, R3 and R4 generation correspondingly. Based on yield and phenotypic acceptability, 135
IVC lines were selected for the evaluation of the R4 and R5 generation, in 2003 WS and 2004 DS, respectively, under irrigated lowland condition. The
selection include 5 DHL, 28 SCL and 6 ICL from one cycle, and 31 DHL, 20 SCL and 45 ICL from second cycle tissue culture. Field trials of the 135
lines in 2004 WS (R6) and 2005 DS (R7), resulted in the selection of 80 lines, which were further tested in 2005 WS (R8). Considering the yield and
field performance across three season trials, 21 IVC lines were selected and evaluated under induced drought stress and favorable growing condition,
in 2007 DS (R9). Under favorable condition, all the 21 IVC lines performed better than the progenitor seed-derived IR64. Compared with high yielding
check varieties PSB Rc14 and PSB Rc82, nine IVC lines yielded better, eight had comparable yield, and four lines yielded less. With the performance
from different trials, both under drought stress and favorable condition, nine IVC lines, viz., IVC-1, IVC-2, IVC-11, IVC-21, IVC-29, IVC-31, IVC-66,
IVC-116, IVC-189 were evaluated to the status of elite lines, qualifying for recommendation to the National Cooperative Testing (NCT). IVC-2 and
IVC-21 were entered for multi-location evaluation in the NCT for drought-prone rainfed lowland in 2008 WS trial.

It was a tie for the BEST POSTER Award

by Pabs Magdalita
th
After a thorough evaluation of a total of 32 posters, four posters emerged as winners during the 6 PAPTCB
Convention’s best poster competition. The Best Poster Award was shared by two posters, Enhancing Nutrition in Rice
Through Biotechnology and Banana Bunchy Top Virus Resistant Somaclonal Variant of Banana (Musa sp.) cv. Lakatan. The
nd
2 Best Poster Award was garnered by Plantlet Conversion of Highly Embryogenic Calli Via Secondary Somatic
rd
Embryogenesis in Coconut. The 3 Best Poster Award was won by the poster entitled, Accelerating Development of
Improved Breeding Lines for Direct Wet Seeded Rice Through Anther Culture. The Awards carried certificates and cash
prizes. Congratulations again to all winners. The following are the Abstracts of the winning poster papers.

ENHANCING NUTRITION IN RICE THRU BIOTECHNOLOGY

N. Oliva, E. Abrigo, J. Lescano, G. Atienza, S. Poletti, M. Manzanilla, P. Herve, G. Barry, IH. Slamet-Loedin
International Rice Research Institute. DAPO Box 777, Metro Manila, Philippines
Improvement of the quality of protein in rice is a cost-effective way to combat the protein-calorie malnutrition in Asia. Protein quality of rice, like
most cereal, is low and in fact has the lowest protein level among cereal crops (Juliano, 1993). Among the “essential” amino acids, lysine is considered
to be important because it is the most limiting amino acid in the dietary requirements of humans. A strategy to increase the lysine content of rice was
made by introducing a wild-type dapA of Corynebacterium glutamicum encoding a lysine-insensitive DHPS linked to a chloroplast transit peptide and
expressed from a seed-specific promoter. While iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world, anemia is used as an
indirect indicator for iron deficiency. More than 2 billion people worldwide are anemic and much of it is due to iron deficiency. Gene construct
harboring different ferritin genes under control of a number of endosperm specific promoters were evaluated to obtain transgenic rice with increased
iron content. More than 900 transgenic events were obtained and phenotyped in the screen-house.

BANANA BUNCHY TOP VIRUS RESISTANT SOMACLONAL VARIANT OF BANANA (Musa sp.) CV. LAKATAN
Olivia P. Damasco, Teodora O. Dizon, Ryan Rodrigo P. Tayobong, Fe M. Dela Cueva, Maria Luz J. Sison, Felipe S Dela Cruz, Jr. and Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza
Crop Science Cluster, Institute of Plant Breeding, Collage of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, 4031 Laguna
Built-in resistance remains to be the most effective disease control measure for Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV), the most destructive viral
disease of banana cv. Lakatan. Since bananas are sterile plants, development of resistance is generated through somaclonal variation. Verification
and introduction of BBTV-resistant somaclonal variant of banana will benefit the agricultural and export sectors of the Philippines.
Plantlet regenerated from 18-22 month-old adventitious bud cultures were evaluated for BBTV resistance after artificial inoculation of virus using
the aphid vector Pentalonia nigronervosa under green-house condition followed by field evaluation of selected BBTV resistant somaclonal variant (SV)
seedlings under BBTV infected field. Indexing for BBTV reaction was done using symptomatology, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques.
Five out of the 1,354 plantlets evaluated (0.36%) showed varying degree of resistance to BBTV. Yield and fruit characteristics of the selected
BBTV resistant SV lines were significantly different with the tissue culture (TC) control plants. One selected SV line (‘SV 6-30’) showed stability of
BBTV resistance after field evaluation of the first, second and third generation plants.
Currently, the mechanism of resistance of ‘SV 6-30’ is being evaluated.

Page 3 of 6 pages
 PLANTLET CONVERSION OF HIGHLY EMBRYOGENIC CALLI VIA SECONDARY SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS IN COCONUT
Osmundo D. Orense, Cristeta A. Cueto, Ma. Buena B-Areza-Ubaldo and Erlinda P. Rillo
PCA-Albay Research Center, Banao, Guinobatan, Albay 4503
Works on the refinement of clonal propagation technique for coconut, using explants from young inflorescence, have been greatly improved.
The technique of selection, isolation and multiplication of highly embryogenic callus lines have been developed and standardized and proven to
increase the production of good quality somatic embryos. Moreover, natural formation of secondary somatic embryos has been observed during the
course of maturation and germination of primary somatic embryos. These secondary somatic embryos appear in cluster and can easily be detached
from the mother tissue for maturation and eventual germination into plantlets. The multiplicative effect of secondary somatic embryogenesis on the
final number of embryoids that are produced ensures increased number of plantlets obtained. When used together, these two practices will ensure
production of enormous number of regenerants. PCA’s clonal propagation protocol is being revised with the integration of these 2 practices. Ata
present, the amended protocol is ready for a trial run in a project proposed for DOST-PCARRD funding.

ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED BREEDING LINES FOR DIRECT WET SEEDED RICE THROUGH ANTHER CULTURE
Christopher C. Cabusora, Nenita V. Desamero, Feliciano C. Cortez, Norvie L Manigbas, Wilhelmina Barroga and Angelo J. Noriel
Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija
Anthers of F1 progenies from 13 single crosses made for direct wet seeded rice were cultured in 2007 dry season. Callus formation and green
plant regeneration was obtained in 10 genotypes. The F1 progeny from the cross of PR37138-1 x IR67964-46-1-3-2 had the most number of anthers
which formed callus (6%) and the highest rate of 16% green plant regeneration over total calli transferred to the regeneration medium. Of the 152
regenerants, 49% is haploid and 51% doubled haploid. The doubled haploids generated 291 doubled haploid lines (DHL). The DHL in the R1
generation were evaluated for uniformity and agronomic traits in 2008 DS, resulting in the selection of 163 (58%) lines. Of these lines, 90 were
evaluated for anaerobic germination and scored for anaerobic tolerance. Anaerobic stress tolerance was exhibited by four (4.4%) DHL derived from
the two crosses C754 WH-120201 x PSB Rc82 and PR37138-1 x IR31406-333-1. Intermediate tolerance to anaerobic stress was demonstrated by
28 (31.1%) DHL. The remaining 58 lines (64.4%) scored susceptible. The tolerant lines were grown in 2008 wet season for field performance
evaluation and seed increase. With anther culture, stable and good performing breeding lines were developed in just one generation as compared
with six to eight generations for conventional hybridization and pedigree breeding line selection approach. The breeding cycle is significantly
shortened with the integration of anther culture in the variety improvement program.

20th FCSSP Scientific Conference

by Luz Acedo

Adopting the theme “Meeting the Challenges of Water and

th
Energy Crisis”, the 20 Scientific Conference of the Federation of
Crop Science Societies of the Philippines was held at Silliman
University, Dumaguete City on May 18-23, 2009. The opening
ceremony was graced by the presence of two Guests of Honor:
Gov. Emilio C. Macias II and Department of Agriculture
Undersecretary Segfredo R. Serrano.

Posters and Exhibits Committee of the 20th

FCSSP Conference assigned to PAPTCB
by Osmund Orense
The PAPTCB, thru Lilian Pateña and Nenita
Desamero, was assigned to the Posters and Exhibits
Committee for this year’s conference. Humility aside
(because I was involved as PAPTCB representative to
the Committee and as member of the panel who judged
the best posters), the poster exhibition and judging were
commendable. The submission of the e-copy of posters
which were chosen by the Panel of Judges for the best
poster competition (Chair – Lilian Pateña, Members- Drs.
Azucena L. Carpena, Celsa A. Quimio, Jeanette
Angeline B. Madamba, Ramon C. Barba, Erlinda S.
Paterno, Cristeta A. Cueto and yours truly) made our job
a lot easier by doing away with the neck-stiffening job of
looking at all those competing posters, on site. Thanks
to the imaginative minds and energetic hands and knees
of everybody who helped in organizing the poster
exhibition.

Page 4 of 6 pages
PAPTCB defies global financial crisis! Call for Papers or Articles
by Lina B. Torrizo by PAPTCB Newsletter Editorial Board

We are glad to report that despite the current global
financial crisis, our Association remains financially stable.
During the 6th PAPTCB convention, the total income we
received from registration fees, donations and advertisements
was PhP 483, 650.00 while total expenses amounted to PhP
357,232.00. This means that we had PhP 126,418.00 added to
our coffers!
Summarized below is the Association’s financial
standing as reported by the Treasurer in the BOD meeting held
on 16 January 2009 covering the period 22 September 2006 to
17 December 2008 and audited by Mrs. Erlinda Rillo, last year’s
auditor. This does not reflect unliquidated cash advances from
some members amounting to PhP40,000.00
The publication of this very first issue of our
Newsletter has been delayed by almost 3 months due to
very few article contributions.
The next issue is expected to come out by the end
of December this year. We anticipate your prompt article
contributions this time. Let’s treat our Newsletter as a
means of communicating with each other.
Share your thoughts.
Help, WANTED!!!
by Osmund Orense

We are now actively documenting the History

Item Amount (PhP) of our Association. The idea is to come up with a
Total cash and deposits as of 22 Sept 2006 309,120.04 digitize account of the past so that our current peer
Income from 6th PAPTCB Convention 126,418.00 group and the next generations to come will have a
Interest from bank accounts 8,843.21 ready reference for a glimpse of the past. If you
Income from other sources (receipts from 8,650.00 happen to be part of the past, we would like to solicit
FCSSP) any materials, (related to PAPTC) that you may be
Total cash and deposits (as of 17 Dec 2008) 453,031.25 keeping, such as pictures, videos, minutes of
meetings, letters of communications, etc. E-copies
The immediate past BOD sincerely appreciates the of these materials (scanned documents or digital
active support given by the members through their earnest photos) will do if you do not want to relinquish
solicitation from donors and payment of their dues. Thanks a lot. possession of those cherished materials.
The new set of BOD expects equal and better yet more
enthusiasm in supporting our future activities! Please pass the graphic files of these
materials to our Secretary, Edith Abrigo at
edithabrigo@yahoo.com.

PAPTCB Regional Symposium in the Visayas

by Edith Abrigo

In order to serve better the members and

at the same time boost up membership to the
Association, the PAPTCB BOD Members have
passed a decision encouraging the three (3)
Regional Representatives to conduct Regional
Symposia in their respective regions.
In answer to this call, the PAPTCB
members in the Visayas, represented by its
Regional Representative Prof. Villaluz Z. Acedo,
is now planning a Regional Symposium to be held
at the Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte on
July 8-9, 2010. The symposium aims to provide a
venue for researchers, administrators and other
TC workers in the region to share information about current developments and trends in the field of tissue
culture as well as government policies particularly on TC Lab accreditation. Authorities on the said topics will
be invited to serve as Resource Persons. Once finalized, invitations will be sent to members and prospective
members as well.

Page 5 of 6 pages
From Palawan to Baguio
by Lilian Pateña

During the 6th PAPTCB Convention held at the Splash Mountain Resort, Los Baños, Laguna, the
General Assembly approved Palawan as the venue for our next Convention. After preliminary communication
with possible hosts and discussion by the members of the Board of Directors, it was agreed that conducting the
7th PAPTCB Convention in Palawan will be very expensive for the participants and that only few members will
be able to attend. The Board considered the 2nd choice for venue, Bicol. Our convention month is October, a
typhoon month. Bicol is usually the path of typhoon and the Board decided that having the convention in Bicol
may not be practical. The Board, then, considered Baguio as the next venue. Necessary communication has
been initiated and Baguio, specifically the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center at Camp
John Hay, as the venue for the 7th PAPTCB Convention has been finalized. It will be held on October 24-28,
2010 (inclusive of 2-day travel time).

The Philippine Association Board of Directors

for Plant Tissue Culture and 2008 - 2010
Biotechnology
PAPTCB
The first National Symposium on Plant Tissue
Culture in Philippine Agriculture and Forestry
marks the birth of the Association. The
Symposium, sponsored by the Bureau of Plant
Industry and UP Los Baños, was held on May
26-28, 1988, at the Institute of Plant Breeding, Lilian F. Pateña Nenita V. Desamero Editha M. Abrigo Olivia P. Damasco
College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños, College, President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer
Laguna. It was organized by Aurora G. del
Rosario and Alfineta B. Zamora, with the help
of other tissue culture people from UPLB-IPB,
UPLB-Department of Horticulture and IRRI.
The participants of the symposium ratified the
Constitution and By-Laws and the Philippine
Society for Plant Tissue Culture was formally
established on May 28, 1988
Lina B. Torrizo Ma. Lourdes O. Cedo Osmundo D. Orense Sai Leng
The Philippine Society for Plant Tissue Culture Auditor Business Manager PRO Ex Officio
became a member society of the Federation of
Crop Science Societies of the Philippines
(FCSSP) in 1988. The Name of the Society was Regional Representatives
changed to the Philippine Association for Plant 7th
Tissue Culture (PAPTC), Inc. when its PAPTCB
registration in the Securities and Exchange Convention
Commission, as a non-stock and non-profit
organization, was approved on March 14, 1990. October 24-28
The name PAPTC was changed to PAPTCB or 2010
Philippine Association for Plant Tissue Culture
and Biotechnology during the general assembly Cristeta A. Cueto Villaluz Z. Acedo Henedinah E. Chan Baguio City
meeting in 2005 at Cagayan de Oro City. Luzon Visayas Mindanao

Page 6 of 6 pages