Agri Dept. to boost ube production via tissue culture

A dearth of purple yam in the country has prompted the Department of Agriculture (DA) to use tissue culture to propagate the tuber, a popular ingredient in many Filipino delicacies.

 

The DA said it has launched a joint project with the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte and the Bali Farms Crops Research Center (BFCRC) to increase the seedlings of ube, also called purple yam, year-round through tissue culture.

 

Rapid, high volume propagation

 

“Production (of seedlings) is too seasonal— once a year from January to May.  Tuber supply cannot meet market demand, (causing an) underdeveloped industry despite competitive edge,” according to VSU’s Dr. Villaluz Z. Acedo and Catherine C. Arradaza.

 

Tissue culture, the growing of tissues or cells separate from the organism in laboratories in order to produce plantlets, can remove pest and disease in the seedlings.  It may produce planting materials in large volume and at a very rapid rate.

 

VSU said this process will supply farmers with more adequate seedlings for ube which according to VSU’s can bring a net income to farmers of P185,000 per hectare per cropping on the first year and P258,000 on the second year under recommended farming conditions.

  

“This saves ube tubers for food and industry,” said VSU.  “Tissue cultured purple yam can be planted year-round, although at certain months yield is low.  Nutrient boosting showed great promise in increasing tuber yield.”

 

Uses and benefits of ube

 

According to the DA, the present supply of ube is insufficient to meet local demands. Food entrepreneurs use the crop for to make jams, purees, flavoring for ice cream and yogurt. Bakeries also use it as filling for hopia, cakes, pastries, and breads.   

 

The processed tuber is bought up by giant food companies like Red Ribbon and Gardenia, Chowking, Fitrite, Jollibee and Selecta, the DA said.

 

Flour and starch may also be produced from it —products that can have industrial value— while ube’s strong purple color may make it important as food coloring or dye.

 

The DA said ube has nutrients that helps lower the risk for hypertension. According to the agency, the ube is known to be rich in anthocyanin which is considered a flavonoid.  It has potential beneficial health effects against cancer, aging and neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, and bacterial infections.

 

“We have a thrust to promote healthful products like ube that will both raise income of farmers and provide consumers with products that have natural medicinal value,” according to Bureau of Agriculture Research Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar said.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) itself has pushed for increased intake of natural food with anti-hypertensive content since commercial anti-hypertensive drugs are expensive.

 

The WHO indicated that hypertension is one of the leading causes of premature deaths reaching to eight million people globally.  It estimates there are one billion people suffering from hypertension worldwide, of which two-thirds are from developing countries like the Philippines. — TJD, GMA News