The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has allocated a PHP1 million grant to establish a tissue culture laboratory at the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) campus in Hinunangan town. The funding was officially handed over on November 18 to Dr. Wade Lim, the director of the SLSU Hinunangan Campus, marking a significant step forward in agricultural innovation for the region, according to Ramil Uy, the DOST Southern Leyte provincial director.
The initiative, named ‘STI Solutions for High Economic Value Agricultural Commodities in Southern Leyte,’ aims to enhance the economic value of local agricultural products through advanced scientific and technological methods. The laboratory is expected to be fully operational by February of the following year.
Over the next three years, the lab will concentrate on producing planting materials for abaca, with subsequent plans to include bananas, bamboos, and ornamental plants. The facility will be capable of generating identical mature offspring from a single plant, ensuring the propagation of desirable traits. Additionally, it will be able to produce multiple plants from species that do not rely on seeds or pollinators, or from those with seeds or stems that have a low germination rate.
Ramil Uy also mentioned that the laboratory’s expected outputs include the validation of protocols for innovations and improvements. This project is poised to enhance the livelihoods of local farmers and spur economic growth in the province by supplying disease-free planting materials.