CSR: Doing well by doing good

CSR: Doing well by doing good: Small businesses and big brands want to help out.

A MOUNTAIN OF CHANGE

10 businesses you can start today

10 businesses you can start today: Start your business now!

Metzerplas PC Drippers

Metzerplas Regular Dripper

Why Proper Drainage is Important in Banana Farms

Fruits: Banana
Written by Dr. Biley E. Temanel and Dr. Orlando Balderama
Friday, 15 June 2007
    Poor drainage is a major cause of reduced yield and quality of bananas grown in Cagayan Valley. In many cases, the effects of poor drainage are not recognized, hence, it is not given Proper attention. Banana farms must have good surface and internal drainage to attain good yield.

Bio-Sand Water Filter in Rural Homes Posted by EPa in Other-Agri

One approach to household water treatment that has become more popular in recent years is the bio sand water filter. It is a relatively simple approach that can be established using local materials and manufacturing to produce a water treatment technology that works in the home.

"Fertigation is no longer an accessory but a necessity!"

Fertigation seems the obvious next step to include with water-saving irrigation systems.

Drip Irrigation Fittings

Tape Irrigation Fittings


Drip Line Fittings

Compression Fittings

Parts	Description
	Code	Size
MALE ADAPTOR
	IR-010-020-02 IR-010-025-03 IR-010-032-10 IR-010-040-11 IR-010-050-12 IR-010-050-20 IR-010-063-20 IR-010-075-20 IR-010-075-22 IR-010-090-30 IR-010-110-40 IR-010-125-50	20 x ½” 25 x ¾” 32 x 1” 40 x 1¼” 50 x 1½” 50 x 2” 63 x 2” 75 x 2” 75 x 2½” 90 x 3” 110 x 4” 125 x 5”
FEMALE ADAPTOR
	IR-011-020-02 IR-011-025-03 IR-011-032-10 IR-011-040-11 IR-011-050-12 IR-011-063-20 IR-011-075-20 IR-011-075-22 IR-011-090-30 IR-011-110-40 IR-011-125-50	20 x ½” 25 x ¾” 32 x 1” 40 x 1¼” 50 x 1½” 63 x 2” 75 x 2” 75 x 2½” 90 x 3” 110 x 4” 125 x 5”
STRAIGHT COUPLING
	IR-012-020-00 IR-012-025-00 IR-012-032-00 IR-012-040-00 IR-012-050-00 IR-012-063-00 IR-012-075-00 IR-012-090-00 IR-012-110-00 IR-012-125-00	20 x 20 25 x 25 32 x 32 40 x 40 50 x 50 63 x 63 75 x 75 90 x 90 110 x 110 125 x 125
REDUCING COUPLING
	IR-013-025-20 IR-013-032-20 IR-013-032-25 IR-013-040-32 IR-013-050-40 IR-013-063-32 IR-013-063-50 IR-013-075-63 IR-013-090-63 IR-013-090-75 IR-013-110-63 IR-013-110-90	25 x 20 32 x 20 32 x 25 40 x 32 50 x 40 63 x 32 63 x 50 75 x 63 90 x 63 90 x 75 110 x 63 110 x 90
ELBOW 90°
	IR-032-020-00 IR-032-025-00 IR-032-032-00 IR-032-040-00 IR-032-050-00 IR-032-063-00 IR-032-075-00 IR-032-090-00 IR-032-110-00 IR-032-125-00	20 x 20 25 x 25 32 x 32 40 x 40 50 x 50 63 x 63 75 x 75 90 x 90 110 x 110 125 x 125
ELBOW 90°WITH THREADED MALE OFF TAKE
	IR-030-020-01 IR-030-020-02 IR-030-025-03 IR-030-032-04 IR-030-040-05 IR-030-050-06 IR-030-063-07	20 x ½” 20 x ¾ ” 25 x ¾” 32 x 1” 40 x 1 ” 50 x 2” 63 x 2”

Earning P35,000 Weekly from Malunggay

Only a few people know that malunggay grows well in sandy loam soil. An Ilokano farmer is one of these few people. He has transformed a wasteland with sandy loam soil in Barangay Salapasap, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur into a malunggay plantation, and he have been earning a lot from it.

In 1972, when the Green Revolution was just beginning, Antonio Solima, now 69, bought a 1.3-hectare wasteland along the coast of the China Sea not really knowing that the land would be a virtual “goldmine”. The only vegetation seen in the area was what the locals call kandaroma, a bushy evergreen plant with lots of thorny, intertwining branches which usually grows along the coastline. 

For this reason, it was very unlikely for a person in the right mind to invest even P0.22 per square meter for this kind of land 35 years ago, but. Antonio proceeded anyway to make a gamble with his P3,000 savings. Since all he wanted then was to own a land. 

Antonio cleared the land and it took him a year because he had a hard time cutting kandaroma plants because he was often bruised by its thorns. 

He burned the trimmings and soon after some portions were already cleared, he started to plant malunggay, which he saw was growing well in the backyards of other residents. His grandfather also had some trees which served as his sources of planting materials.

Malunggay : The Miracle Vegetable

“Malunggay” in the Philippines, “Sajina” in the Indian Subcontinent, and “Moringa” in English, it is a popular tree. Many Asians use the leaves of Malunggay (Sajina) like spinach and also the fruit it produces as a vegetable, like asparagus. It only used to be known as a vegetable for lactating mothers. But new scientific studies say that malunggay’s medicinal and market possibilities. 

Touted by scientists as a “miracle vegetable,” malunggay has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past 20 years as a low-cost health enhancer in poor countries around the globe. 

Malunggay trees are generally grown in the backyards. The small, oval, dark-green leaves are famous vegetable ingredient in soup, fish and chicken dishes. Scientifically, called ‘Moringa oelifera.’ this vegetable, despite its legendary potentials, is still relatively unknown. 

Controlling Moko Disease in Bananas with EM Application

Managing moko, a major disease affecting Cavendish bananas, has been the focus of growers, scientists, economists, and theorists for years. For one thing, the economic impact of Moko can be disastrous. There are instances when small growers (those who cultivate 3 to 5 hectares) have sustained as high as 70 to 80 percent plant losses due to Moko. But what is worse is the frustration that they have to bear when the disease reoccur.

But how does Moko occur in the first place? First of all, the casual organism of Moko is the bacterium Ralstonia(formerly Pseudomonas) solanacearum. It is a variety of bacteria that is highly infective and easily transmitted mechanically by insects or through soil particle movement. Usually the spread of disease happens when farm workers neglect to disinfect their tools before they work from one area to another.

The pathogen can thrive and remain dormant for many months in the soil until it gets in contact with the roots of a host and resume activity whent the environment becomes favorable. The pathogen also causes bugtok or tibagnol in fruits of Cardaba, and Latundan bananas.

Early symptoms of Moko include the breaking of the leaves at the petiole due to partial wilting and loss of turgidity. This always starts with one or two of the youngest leaves. The leaf breakage then progresses to the older ones until if unchecked the whole plant collapses. There is also a brownish discoloration in the bracts and in the vascular bundles of the midrib of the plant.

MANAGING THE DISEASE

In the 1970s, commercial plantations managed Moko by extensively using chemical disinfectants such as ethylene dibromide (EDB), and by applying prophylaxis procedures, localized quarantine, and long fallow periods. Other less toxic chemicals were later tried, but due to environmental concerns, control processes have eventually evolved into the current system of burning infected plants.

For each case, a minimum of 25 bags of rice hulls is used in the burning. The affected area is cordoned off with bamboo and twine to prevent access to it. The area is then laid fallow for six to eight months before it is replanted with seedlings.

As a further preventive measure, workers are required to disinfect their tools after working in each hill. Despite these precautions, the disease reoccur and pose serious economic threats.

EM APPLICATION

There is now a new and effective way of controlling Moko. It is the Effective Microorganism (EM) application.

With this practice, replanting can be done immediately after eradication if ever it was performed provided that before planting the seedlings, the newly dug planting holes are drenched with EM solution or EM compost. This is done by applying the solution or compost into the bottom of the holes. Fallow time need not be lost.

EM was commercially introduced in 1980s by Professor Teruo Higa of the University of Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. According to the manual for the member-countries of the Asia-Pacific Natural Agriculture Network (APNAN), there are five major groups of micro-organisms in EM and these are the following: phototrophic or photosynthetic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, and fermenting fungi. Each one has different beneficial functions in the soil.

EM comes in liquid form; the micro-organisms are alive but inactive in sealed containers. There are a number of ways to activate EM. For Moko control, this is done by dissolving 1 liter of molasses in 1 gallon of water. Next, add 1 liter EMI (pure) then add water to make a total of 28 liters of waters or a total of 30 liters solution.

Allow the mixture to ferment anaerobically in a sealed plastic container and store it under shade at room temperature for five to ten days. The solution is called “EMAS” or EM Activated Solution, but in other literatures, it is called “AFM” or Activated FM.

Further dilute EMAS in clean water at a proportion of one part EMAS to five parts water (1:5). Then apply it to the funnel-like portion of each leaf petiole and suckers of infected plants. Cover the plant base with 5 kilos of EM compost, then drenched with a solution of one part EMAS to 20 parts water (1:20), using about 0.5 liter to 1 liter per mat depending on its size.

EM compost is made by first mixing one part EMAS to 10 parts plain water (1:10). Next, the substrate is prepared by mixing the following substrate: 40 percent chopped rejected bananas, 20 percent cow or hog manure, 20 percent saw dust or rice hull, and 20 percent rice bran.

Chicken manure can be a substitute for cow or hog manure, coir dust for saw dust, and other sources of carbohydrates for rice bran. Other organic materials such as lime, guano, NutriSmart, can also be added in the range of 1 to 5 percent.

While mixing the substrate, incorporate the expanded EMAS solution (1:20), making the moisture 30 to 60 percent. The mixture is piled less than 1 meter high, about 1.5 meters wide, and as long as required. And lastly, it is covered with plastic sheets or sacks. The temperature in the pile should not exceed 40°C. Turn over the compost every day or every other day so as not to kill the micro-organisms.

Some literatures say that the EM compost is ready for use in less than a week, while others say it takes three to four weeks. As for me, I apply my compost in less than two weeks because I have a large area to cover. And besides, I am now using the procedure for prevention, rather than for cure.

The positive effect of treating infected plants with EM starts to show when the youngest leaf resumes growth. This can be noticed within one month from initial application. In my experience, 24 infected plants were initially treated in October 21-27, 2007 (week 43 of 2007). Three plants were beyond recovery and eventually died in less than a month after first treatment. As of this writing (week 10 of 2008), it has been 19 weeks since the initial treatment. Four bunches have already been harvested and two other plants are bearing bunches of pre-harvest age. The rest (15 other plants) are on different stages of vegetative growth. However, in weeks 4 and 5 of 2008, four new cases in different locations occurred.

Mario Yoshida, who has a farm in Cadalian, is also applying EM. Actually, he was the first farmer who successfully used the EM application as a control for Moko on a commercial scale in May 2006. Then in 2007, Rolando Bahaya, who owns farms in Subasta and Wangan, both in Calinan, Davao City, and other banana farmers followed suit. They applied EM solution directly to the infected plant and spread EM compost around the base.

It is encouraging, indeed, to find about 90 percent of infected plants recovering from Moko and producing exportable fruits and healthy suckers for the next crop. Bahaya explains that Moko infection can be compared to cancer. About 10 percent of infected plants that eventually died are those that have reached stage 4. And if treatment is given early (stage 1 or 2), infected plants recover completely.

Yoshida, on the other hand, is convinced that EM could be used also as a control for Fusarium (Panama) wilt and Sigatoka. He uses EM as an alternative to systemic fungicides for Sigatoka.

WHY EM CONTROL MOKO

Why does EM control Moko? I am still not sure of the answer to this question.

In searching of an answer, I have read articles and surfed the internet. I have come across the term “competitive exclusion”. It is “the rapid multiplication of the beneficial microorganisms in EM” that possibly crowds the Moko pathogen or leaves little or no more-food for the pathogenic bacteria to survive on. My rationalization is that EM provides some ingredient(s) to the banana plant and by doing so, EM strengthens the plant’s vigor until the bacteria cannot harm it anymore.

On the other hand, Dr. Anacleto M. Pedrosa, Jr. a veteran scientist, says that microorganisms produce enzymes and metabolites, and it is possible that one or a combination of these substances might be toxic to the pathogen thus, keep the bacteria at bay. Although these are highly possible and logical explanations, these are not yet scientifically proven.

Sooner or later, scientists will come up with the explanation. But in the meantime, for those who have tried this new-found treatment, it is so far the best option in terms of cost, time, and morale.

Class vs. Schedule PVC Pipe and What You Need to Know

06.29.11Ben Green

How do you know what pipe is right for your irrigation application?  With so many different options out there, it is easy to be pulled in the wrong direction or take some bad advice that can cost you in the long run.  Here is a brief description of the difference between Class and Schedule PVC pipe, what it is used for and it’s best application.  First let’s get started with a brief description of PVC pipe so we can cover the basics.

PVC is an abbreviation for Polyvinyl Chloride, the most common plastic in the world.  This is a solid pipe that comes in many different sizes and colors.  You commonly see it as a white color and readily available at any supply store.  This is the most commonly used type of pipe in the industry and is a common household name.  What you don’t know is that PVC pipe comes in many different colors and each color serves a very specific function.  For this phase of the conversation, we are going to ignore the colors and just concentrate on the different classifications:

• Class PVC – Look at the writing on the side of the pipe and it will either say ‘CL’ or ‘SCH’.  ‘CL’ or Class is a form of pipe that is rated for the pressure that it can withstand.  Class 200 means that the pipe can withstand 200 PSI (Pounds per square inch).  This pipe is very thin, brittle and is not flexible at all.  There are 2 main applications that it is applied: (1) In large diameter (Over 1”) and high rating (300+ PSI) for Mainline (pipe that is under constant pressure and is a water source for your irrigation valves). This is the best application for this type of pipe because the high PSI rating and the large diameter make the material less brittle. (2) In small diameter (Under 1”) and low rated (200 PSI) for Lateral line (Pipe that is not under constant pressure and is on the other side of the valve as the mainline.  Lateral’s are best described as the pipe that is directly connected to your sprinkler heads). This is the worst application because working with it is difficult and is subject to breaking and sheering.  It is use for this application because it is the least expensive pipe to use.
• Schedule PVC -  Once again look at the writing on the side of the pipe and it will say ‘SCH’.  Schedule PVC is rated by thickness of the wall of the pipe.  If you put a class pipe and a schedule pipe next to each other, you will see that the schedule pipe is much thicker than class.  This pipe is used in all different diameters for all different applications.  The pipe is flexible and does not break easily.  The pipe can also be heated up and bent if necessary.  This pipe is also more expensive due to the amount of material needed to produce a thicker-walled pipe.

As a consumer, selecting schedule pipe is always a wise decision because it truly is an easier product to work with.  If you are looking to save some money on material, you can use class pipe but you will spend your savings on labor trying to work with the material.  If you want to learn more about the different colors of  PVC, please take the time to read my blog on Color pipe.

http://valleycresttakeson.com/watermanagement/resources/class-vs-schedule-pvc-pipe-and-what-you-need-to-know-4/

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: IMO Video

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SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Fermented Oregano

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Fermented Oregano: Tastes great and does wonders for you if you have cough or asthma. Try it as a drench for your pigs, goats...and add on to drinking water o...

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Class vs. Schedule PVC Pipe and What You Need to Know

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SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients - OHN

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients - OHN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients (OHN) is made from plants with fungicidal and pesticidal properties. Examples are: Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Siling ...

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SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ): The Video: Mag-Agri Tayo's feature on Fermented Plant Juices. Read around this blog as we had written about this base in our natural farming practice....

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients - OHN: The Video

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Oriental Herbal Nutrients - OHN: The Video: Oriental Herbal Nutrients or OHN is our natural immune system booster and natural remedy for our farm animals and plants :)

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Intro To White Pastured Chickens: Video

SUNSHINE CHICKEN: Intro To White Pastured Chickens: Video: Why did we go from colored to white? Here we are introducing you to white pastured chickens. In partnership with Mag-Agri Tayo, we will ...

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GRAVITY DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

GDS (Gravity Drip System)
The GDS is designated to achieve cost-effective and efficient irrigation for family small farms. The unit contains a storage tank filled from any local water source, filter, distribution pipelines and dripline laterals for irrigation of all types of crops.
Features & benefits

• Simple installation and application.
• Suitable for different types of water quality and water sources.
• Enlarges the irrigated land of small, rural farms.
• Inexpensive and cost-effective irrigation.
• Simple irrigation technology to increase family income and food supply and supports the rural community

Advantages
- Uniform water distribution
- Efficient water use
- Easy installation, operation and maintenance
- Possibility of fertigation (i.e. the application of soluble fertilizer through the system)
- Durable, long-life drip-lines, which resist clogging.
- Increases and improves the crop yield
You may reach us at:

• Smart: +63 9195370539
• Globe: +63 9174956948
• Sun: +63 639235466500
• Fax/Tel: +63 82 3054326
• Email: lcdrirrigation@gmail.com

LCDR Irrigation Systems is a full service company that provides services related to its products. We are poised to serve the growing needs of the Agricultural and Industrial market. We have experienced consultants with in-depth knowledge of micro-irrigation, drip irrigation, under tree irrigation, landscape, and many other specialty works related to hydraulics. 
LCDR Irrigation Systems can provide quality irrigation services, irrigation systems construction, design and consulting services as well as budget pricing and comprehensive construction cost estimates. Our emphasis is on quality work at competitive prices.
We have continued industry contacts and know how on which products have delivered best results with lower maintenance cost.
Visit us on www.wix.com/lcdrirrigation/bussiness