Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI) will again recognize significant research and development undertakings in its celebration of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW).

PCARRD Deputy Executive Director for R&D and Chair of the LBSCFI R&D Awards Committee for Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Danilo C. Cardenas recently announced the winning papers as approved by the LBSCFI Steering Committee.

The paper “Pre- and Post- harvest Disease Management of Mango Fruits from Controlled Atmosphere Storage for Global Market Access” by O.S. Opina and E.B. Esguerra of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) won the PARRFI R&D Awards - Research category.

The researchers demonstrated that proper pre- and post- harvest disease management could significantly reduce disease incidence and severity in mangos stored under controlled atmosphere for 29 days.

Meanwhile, the paper “Design and Fabrication of Kiln for Bamboo Charcoal and Light Distillate/Pyroligneous Liquor Production” won in the Development category. The paper was prepared by B.B. Bisana, D.B. Pulmano, A.M. Bondad, and C.C. Garcia, all of the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI).

In this study, the researchers developed an environment-friendly kiln for bamboo charcoal and light distillate/ pyroligneous liquor production. The technology has benefited more than a hundred families in the province of Abra.

The winners will present their papers and receive their awards during the LBSCFI-NSTW on 20 July at the Umali Auditorium of the SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Los Baños, Laguna.

There were no entries this year for the M.S. Swaminathan Outstanding Research Award, F.S. Pollisco R&D Award and F.O. Tesoro Technology Transfer Award.

LBSCFI is one of the four science communities established by the Department of Science and Technology aimed at fostering the value of sharing resources and expertise among research agencies in the community. LBSCFI is based at PCARRD and is composed of 22 member-agencies in Los Baños.