The staff of the Analytical Services Laboratory (ASL) under the Division of Soil Science, Agricultural Systems Institute (ASI) conducted a training and demonstration on the use of the Soil Test Kit (STK) held on March 4 and March 8 at the Multipurpose Hall of the Los Baños Municipal Hall. The activity was spearheaded by Ms. Joana Rose M. Vergara, University Researcher and the Soil Test Kit project leader who also served as the main resource speaker for the Soil Science subtopic.

Ms. Vergara gave a short lecture on the concepts of soil properties and management for improved crop production, which was followed by demonstration on the use of STK for soil analysis facilitated by the ASL staff. Farmer-participants from different barangays in Los Baños brought their own soil samples for analysis during the latter part of the activity. Results from the STK analyses were recorded and used as the basis for fertilizer recommendations provided for the farmer-participants during the end of the sessions.

The lecture and demonstration were part of the “Trainings on S&T-based Vegetable Production for the New Normal” conducted by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, where a total of 34 conventional and organic farmers from Los Baños attended the March 4 and 8 sessions, respectively. Soil Management and Use of Soil Test Kit is one of the six subtopics under the trainings, which also included Insect Pests of Vegetables, Common Diseases of Vegetables, GAP-based Pesticide Management/Organic Farming Practices, Covid-19 Protocols on Vegetable Production, Food Safety, and Postharvest Practices.

Zyra Mae Alcantara and farmer participants during the demonstration of the use of the Soil Test Kit for analyslcantais.

Soil Test Kit facilitators from ASL team (left to right: Mr. Bryan S. Recio, Mr. Christian Jed A. Reyes, Ms. Joana Rose M. Vergara, Mrs. Marlene A. Ang,                                              Prof. Quincy E. Ybañez, Ms. Adela Maria A. Reynoso, and Ms. Zyra Mae S. Alcantara).

Interested individuals may send their queries and requests on STK training and purchasing, as well as laboratory soil analysis through the ASL by sending an email to the Agricultural Systems Institute (asi.uplb@up.edu.ph). (AA Reynoso; Photo: ASL team)