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Tamarind cultivation gets needed research boost

Wednesday, December 21, 2022 12:01 AM    Views : 791by:IAN OCAMPO FLORA

MAGALANG The already successful cultivation of Aglibut sweet and sour tamarind varieties in Pampanga and Central Luzon is now getting a much-needed boost from government research furthering better prospects for commercial and agricultural cultivation.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) had recently made recent accomplishments on the sweet tamarind line. Research done by the Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) Program for Tamarind being implemented by the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) established that ‘Aglibut Sweet’ is the longest and heaviest sweet tamarind line.

DOST is aiming at replicating part of the success of the Aglibut sweet tamarind program by increasing the number of sour tamarind trees in the region, increasing the yield of sour tamarind varieties, and augmenting the supply of raw materials for food processing. The program may even bridge the huge gap between local production and raw material requirements of the food processing sector.

Part of the NICER research includes a collection of different tamarind lines across the country and determines the differences between the sour and the sweet tamarind varieties through morphological and molecular characterization. This is important in identifying and differentiating the sweet from sour tamarind seedlings, which gives growers an assurance that they are planting the correct variety.

Initial research identified two tamarind lines: PAC Sour 2 and Golden Sweet. Both have outstanding pod characteristics and the potential for registration as a new variety. PAC Sour 2 is a sour-type tamarind with the following characteristics: thick pod shell (0.56 mm), high percentage of pulp flesh (50.86%), pod weight of 15.34 g, and three or more seeds per pod.

Meanwhile, Golden Sweet, a sweet type tamarind, has a shell thickness of 0.73 mm, pod weight of 16.69 g, 42.43 percent pulp, and three or more seeds per pod.

Why tamarind?

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica Linn.) is an important fruit crop of mainly domestic uses. Sour tamarind is traditionally used in Filipino cuisine as a souring agent or processed into candy when ripe. Food processing companies in the country need around 8,000 metric tons of raw materials that are imported from other sources due to a lack of local supply.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that tamarind production in the Philippines was only 6,638 metric tons in 2018.

PCAARRD Science Research Specialist Maria Cecilia S. Alaban, in a 2020 interview, said initiatives on the Aglibut sweet tamarind will not be displaced as both sweet and sour tamarind varieties will be prioritized in the program. It could be remembered that the late Professor Andres Aglibut succeeded in developing a clonal seedling of sweet tamarind, later named the Aglibut sweet tamarind in his honor. The Pampanga Agricultural College or PAC (now Pampanga State Agricultural University) in Magalang played a key role in the progress of the sweet tamarind as it was here where the late professor had developed the variety. Aglibut was a consultant at the PAC when his nephew, Dr. Fortunato Aglibut Battad, was the president.

The DOST is now capitalizing on both varieties of tamarind and the state university's years of expertise in the success of its research center for tamarind. The Tamarind Research and Development (R&D) center established at the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) in Magalang, Pampanga, is under the Nicer program.

Nicer is a component of the DOST Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research and Development Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness.

Since PSAU already initiated R&D activities for sweet tamarind following the registration of Aglibut Sweet to the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), more focus will be given to sour tamarind because it has huge potential in processing.

Due to PSAU's initiatives, expertise, and investments in the tamarind industry, the university was identified as the best institution where the Tamarind R&D Center should be established. Also, PSAU had previously undertaken research, development, and extension activities to advance the development of the sweet tamarind industry.

PSAU has been successful in the promotion and up-scaling of 'Aglibut Sweet' in the Philippines as well as the development of food products such as wine and vinegar among others, however, not much has been done for sour tamarind.

Why Central Luzon?

Central Luzon, which includes Pampanga, is the second top-producing region of tamarind next to the Ilocos Region. In terms, of yield per tree, Central Luzon ranks first in the country. To further improve statistics, the DOST is targeting key developments in the tamarind program.

The DOST's Tamarind R&D Center targets to increase the yield of tamarind by at least 30 percent from 3.36 metric tons per hectare (national average) to 4.36 metrics per hectare.

The program also aims to produce and distribute 10,000 grafted sour and sweet tamarind planting materials. Also included in the program is the expansion of the land area in Central Luzon dedicated to sour tamarind plantation by 100 hectares. The agency hopes to increase raw materials in the market by 25 percent.


Source: Sunstar website

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