Soil science research and development studies of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) using nuclear technology won first and third places in the Best Poster Paper competition during the 16th annual conference and scientific meeting of the Philippine Society of Soil Science and Technology (PSSST). The PSSST conference, with the theme, “Soils for Survival”, was held in Subic, Zambales on May 29-31, 2013.
The poster paper entitled “Efficacy of Gamma Sterilization Technique for Biofertilizer Carrier Production” by Roland V. Rallos and Faye G. Rivera, Agricultural Research Section, Atomic Research Division of DOST-PNRI together with Juliet A. Anarna, University of the Philippines Los Baños- National Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Marcelina J. Palis and Jacqueline S. Rojales, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management won the Best Poster Paper.
The study that won first-place established the efficiency of using gamma irradiation as a sterilization technique for biofertilizer carrier production, particularly in eliminating unwanted microbes in newly-mixed biofertlizer carrier, specifically, clay and charcoal mixture. The study also affirmed the practicality of gamma sterilization technique for large scale production of biofertilizer carriers.
Garnering third place was the DOST-PNRI study by the Agricultural Research Section on “Agronomic Applicability of Non-Destructive Soil Moisture-Density Measurements Using Gamma-Neutron Probe” by Roland V. Rallos, Wilfredo A. Gultiano and John Faustus C. Vidal.
The DOST-PNRI soil science study advocated gamma-neutron probe as a viable non-destructive method for measuring soil moisture-density. Producing consistently accurate results similar to standard core and gravimetric methods, the study recommends the use of gamma neutron probe for soils having varied salinity and texture that may demand frequent measurements.
The 16th PSSST annual conference was participated in by members of the Society from the academe, government and non-government research and development institutes, policy makers, the private sector and other interested parties who shared the latest developments in soil science and other related fields.
