QUEZON CITY- With the increasing prices of chemical fertilizers, further worsened by the Russia-Ukraine war, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is massively promoting the use of “Bio-N,” a microbial-based fertilizer.

“Given the exigencies of the times, we have to massively promote the use Filipino-developed technologies to enhance crop productivity and incomes of our farmers and fishers,” said Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar.

“One of these is Bio-N, that was developed 40 years ago by Dr. Mercedes Umali-Garcia of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Biotech), at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB),” the DA chief said.

Available in 200-gram sachets, Bio-N contains organisms capable of converting nitrogen from the air into ammonium nitrogen in the soil. It enhances shoot growth and root development and can replace 30 to 50 percent (%) of total chemical nitrogen requirement of crops, according to UPLB-Biotech.

Five to six sachets of Bio-N can replace two 50-kg bags of urea per hectare (ha) planted to rice. Urea currently retails from as low as P2,500/bag to as high as P3,147, depending on the brand and country of origin or an average price of P2,823.50/bag. The total fertilizer cost would mean P11,294 at the average of four bags/hectare. With Bio-N, priced at P100 per sachet, rice farmers could save P10,694 per hectare for utilizing five to six sachets.

UPLB studies show that Bio-N could increase crop yields by 11%. Aside from rice, it can be used for corn and vegetables, too.

Crop seeds are mixed or “inoculated” with Bio-N powder before sowing or planting. Seedlings can also be dipped in Bio-N water solution.

“Bio-N forms part of our balanced fertilization strategy (BFS), as we implement ‘Plant Plant Plant Program Part 2,’ which was approved by President Duterte. BFS entails the intensified promotion of bio-fertilizers and bio-stimulants among our farmers nationwide,” Secretary Dar said.

Last March 22, 2022, the DA forged a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UPLB-Biotech to expand the research and development, capacity building, and upscaling of Bio-N and other bio fertilizers, stimulants and technologies.

Even before the MOU, the DA under its national corn program has funded the establishment of 17 Bio-N mixing plants across the country.

In addition, the DA Region 3 field office signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with UPLB-Biotech on May 23, 2022, for the latter to supply 10,000 packs of Bio-N for distribution to Central Luzon farmers.

Further, the DA through the National Food Authority (NFA) is establishing 20 Bio-N mixing facilities under the agency’s Corn Development Program (CornDev).

For their part, UPLB-Biotech officials, along with National Scientist, former UP President and founding Biotech Director Dr. Emil Q. Javier, met on May 10, 2022 with DA officials — led by Undersecretary Leocadio S. Sebastian and DA-PhilRice Director John de Leon — and members of the private sector to discuss strategies to scale up the production and distribution of Bio-N and other bio fertilizers and stimulants to farmers nationwide.

On May 20, Secretary Dar led the distribution of 1,000 packs of Bio-N to farmers’ cooperatives and associations during the opening of the new R&D facility at the DA-RFO 2 Cagayan Valley Research Center, in Ilagan City, Isabela.

He also visited the DA Isabela soils laboratory that produces Bio-N for distribution to farmers.(DA)