Abstract

Morphological and genetic characterization of 11 Arabica varieties using SSR markers was carried out. A high diversity index was observed among vegetative qualitative characters (0.73) in Arabica coffee accessions, and six clusters were formed using Ward’s method of analysis. Genetic similarities using SSR analysis among 11 Arabica coffee varieties were from 0.44 to 1.00 showing mid to high similarities. A cluster diagram based on the similarity matrix generated four clusters at 0.60 similarity index. Group 1 includes Typica, Granica fine, Improved San Ramon, Yellow Cattura, Granica Broad, San Ramon, and MSAC Selection while the second cluster includes Mundo Novo and Kenya. Moka and Red Bourbon were separated in Clusters 3 and 4, respectively. Our results suggest a potential gene pool in Arabica coffee in Benguet which can be utilized for future improvement programs. Moreover, the application of SSR in analyzing genetic diversity and marker-assisted selection can be employed on Arabica coffee

Index Terms

Arabica coffee, Genetic diversity, Genetic similarities, SSR analysis

Abstract

This research examined the challenges that flood disasters in flood-prone urban communities pose to disaster risk management, particularly in protecting school children in the context of climate change. The researcher explored how local community reduces risks to floods and improve their disaster risk management. The researcher made use of the triangulation method involving observation, key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussion (FGD), and participatory assessment tools via a sequential exploratory mixed-method design. As revealed, the main factors to influence low levels of adaptive capacity among school children are the absence of practices and ways in their local community to adapt to flood hazards due to complacency about floods because of the experience of events that did not turn into disasters. One barrier of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction is the low involvement of parents and remained passive participants in preparing events like flooding.

Index Terms

adaptive capacity, flood hazards, vulnerability, climate change

Abstract

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) remains to be the most critical banana disease that threatens the industry worldwide. Screening for potential biocontrol agents is essential to find favorable resources against Foc. In this study, isolates from banana pseudostem, rhizomes, and rhizosphere soil were characterized and were tested against Foc in vitro, and their plant growth-promoting effects were tested in nursery conditions. Of 24 isolates, nine (9) are endophytic rhizobacteria, seven (7) are endophytic pseudostem bacteria, and eight (8) are rhizosphere soil bacteria. Most of the isolates have white, small, circular, entire, and raised colonies, are coccus, and are either unclustered or clustered. Eighteen (16) are Gram-negative bacteria, and six (6) are Gram-positive bacteria. Visual agar plate assay showed the antagonistic potential of RS13, ER03, and ER20 as they significantly inhibited the Foc at days 5, 6, 7, and 8 compared to E. coli (p<0.05). Biochemical tests show the capacity of the potential isolates to utilize various carbohydrates and metabolites. Analytical Profile Index (API) test identifies the likely isolates as Staphylococcus xylosus (ER03), Chryseomonas luteola (ER20), and Staphylococcus sciuri (RS13). Furthermore, isolates enhanced the growth of banana plantlets in terms of pseudostem diameter, pseudostem height, no. of leaves, and total leaf area. This study showed the capacity of potential isolates to be utilized as bio-inoculum for banana against Foc.

Index Terms

biocontrol, plant growth-promoting agents, banana Fusarium wilt.

Abstract

Mangrove areas of Barangay Linangkayan, Naawan, Misamis Oriental have been successfully assessed using the transect plot technique wherein sampling points were identified in each of the three transecti lines. Six species of mangroves were found and identified as Nypa fruticans, Avicennia rumphiana, Rhizophora apiculata, Lumnitzera racemosa, Aegiceras floridum and Rhizophora mucronata. Nypa fruticans dominates all the number of mangroves' species existing in the barangay with a relative abundance that constitutes 92.4% from the overall mangroves species. As a consequence, it causes the measured indices to be at values that can be inferred low on the basis of evenness and richness components of biodiversity with an amount of 0.218. This indicates that only six species of mangroves were known to thrive in that area and can be correlated with the domination in numbers of Nypa fruticans. Physicochemical parameters such as acidity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, and temperature of the mangroves' water were recorded. Based on the correlation analysis, mangrove species distribution has no significant relationship with the physicochemical parameters, which indicates that the distribution of mangrove species is not affected by the present physical conditions of the mangrove area. Nevertheless, assessment of the status of the mangrove area is essential for the future conduct of conservation planning and management.

Index Terms

Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), Global Positioning System (GPS), Physicochemical Parameters, Mangrove, Relative Abundance, Species Richness, Shannon Diversity Index, Transect lines, Water Quality Tests

Abstract

This study examined the level of awareness and preparedness of the faculty members at Mindanao State University in Marawi City. It was conducted in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and College of Natural Science and Mathematics. A stratified random sampling method was used in determining the respondents of the study. The sample size was obtained using the Sloven’s formula. The data were gathered through a survey questionnaire prepared in English. Socio-demographic data, level of awareness, and preparedness were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics, such as frequency, percentage, and mean. A Three Point-Likert scale was used in the assessment of the level of awareness and preparedness of the respondents, and a weighted mean was employed in the variables. The relationship between the socio-demographic variable and the elements of disaster risk awareness and preparedness was established using chi-square at 0.10 level of significance. Based on the results, it was revealed that the respondents were slightly aware but fully prepared for disaster risks. None of the socio-demographic variables has shown a significant relationship with awareness. However, respondents’ preparedness is significantly related to some socio-demographic variables such as gender, educational attainment, length of service in the campus, monthly income, and the form of residence. It has also been determined that there was a significant relationship between disaster risk awareness and preparedness.

Index Terms

awareness, disaster risks, preparedness, socio-demographic variables.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine how the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003) is being implemented in Barangay Santo Niño, in terms of the resident’s awareness, compliance and perception towards the implementation of this Act, and to determine the relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics, awareness and understanding of the respondents and their compliance to this policy. The researcher used total enumeration in interviewing the LGU officials, while quota sampling was used in determining the respondents. The sample size was obtained using Sloven’s formula. The data were gathered through a semi-structure interview schedule prepared in English but translated in Visayan or Cebuano during the actual interview with the respondents last October 19 – 30, 2015. The null hypotheses were tested using Chi-square analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The result shows that the respondents were slightly aware, have a high compliance level, and a very high level of perception. Among the socio-demographic variables, none of the variables showed a significant relationship with awareness, compliance, and perceptions. However, respondents’ awareness and perception showed a significant relationship with their degree of compliance with RA 9003.

Index Terms

Awareness, Compliance, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, Perception

Abstract

The intraseasonal low-frequency oscillation is studied by using a gridded rainfall dataset from 1979 to the present. Multivariate Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) was used in the extraction of these modes. We have found out that there is a significant increasing trend in the relative strength of low-frequency ISO. However, this happened only after the years 1979 to 1984 was removed in the trend analysis. A previous study found that the increased rainfall during the break and transition phase of low-frequency ISO could be a contributing factor to the reduction of its intensity through changes in its amplitude and variability. In this study, the implication is rather the opposite - that the increase in rainfall, in terms of extreme events occur during the active phase of low-frequency ISO had been the contributor to the increasing trend of this low-frequency ISO. This might be because of the phenomenon called Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). Recent studies have been conducted and established the influence of MJO on the intraseasonal precipitation variability over India, Brazil, United States, Japan, China, and many others around the globe. It is suggested that an investigation of the influence of MJO on summer typhoons in the vicinity of the Philippines should be done.

Index Terms

singular spectrum analysis, multivariate SSA, intraseasonal oscillations, netcdf gridded rainfall dataset, Madden-Jullian Oscillation.

Abstract

The total amount of rainfall of tropical storm (TS) Washi was reported to be at 300 mm/day, but the authors estimate it to be 800 mm/day. To compare which amount of rainfall is more realistic, a flood simulation study of the two (2) rainfall events were conducted and compared to the flood validation findings conducted by the Mines Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Iligan City Local Government Unit (LGU) made a week after the flood disaster.

To estimate the flood brought by the two (2) rainfall events, the Hydrologic Engineering Center- Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) was used to yield runoff parameters. The runoff values serve as the input for the simulated flood estimate. As for flooding, the Hydrologic Engineering Center- River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) was used to estimate the flood.

The Total Runoff and Peak Run-Off of the Reported Rainfall record much lower at 159,000.00 m^3 and 2,742.80 m3 respectively than the Estimated Rainfall of 444,524.30 m3 and 13,697.40 m3 respectively. The time for the onset for flooding, which is called Lag time is faster for the Estimated Rainfall at 5.33 hours as compared to the Official Rainfall record, which is 5.83 hours.

At low and medium flood depth level, the Reported Rainfall record at 30.80 and 190.94 hectares, respectively, was higher than the Estimated Rainfall at 19.42 and 178.74 hectares, respectively. However, for the High flood depth, which is the most critical flood level is 625.13 hectares for the Estimated Rainfall was much higher than the Reported Rainfall record, which is 222.74 hectares.

For the Flood Validation, the flood extent of the Estimated Rainfall at 823.29 hectares was much greater than the Official Rainfall record, which is 444.48 hectares. On the other hand, the flood extent estimated by MGB-DENR was 894.41 hectares. This means the Estimated Rainfall was closer to the MGB-DENR than the Official Rainfall record estimate.

Index Terms

Flood simulation, Runoff, Flooding, TS Washi, Mandulog River Basin