• Master of Science in Plant Breeding (Horticulture) University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)

Graduate School
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Major in Horticulture, UPLB, College of Agriculture
• Licensed Agriculturist, Professional Regulation Commission
• Senior Science Research Specialist, Plant Mutation Breeding and Biotechnology Research Unit,
Agriculture Research Section, Atomic Research Division, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Department
of Science and Technology (DOST)
• Member, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development-
DOST Pool of Experts in Ornamental and Medicinal Crops
• Member, National Research Council of the Philippines
• Member, Philippine Association of Agriculturists
• Chair, Ornamental Crops Technical Working Group, National Seed Industry Council Bureau of Plant
Industry, Department of Agriculture
• Founding Member, Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society, Incorporated
• Career Scientist I, Civil Service Commission and National Academy of Science and Technology-DOST
• Awardee, 2020 Presidential Lingkod Bayan (Group Category)
• Expert on Plant Mutation Breeding, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
Mr. Fernando B. Aurigue

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 APPLICATIONS OF
NUCLEAR SCIENCE IN
AGRICULTURE
FERNANDO B. AURIGUE, M.Sc., L.Agr.
Plant Mutation Breeding and Biotechnology Research Unit
Agriculture Research Section, Atomic Research Division
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
Department of Science and Technology

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 Lecture Outline
• Precision Farming Through Isotopes Technique

• Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

• Gamma Irradiation as Standard Quarantine Treatment (SQT)

• Plant Mutation Breeding using gamma radiation

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Nutrient Difference Approach
14N – Natural source of N (99.63%)
14N – N from fertilizer (99.63%)

soil and plant samples

Commercial Urea
Nutrient Analysis for Total N

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Total %N
(soil N + fertilizer N)
 Isotope Tracer Technique
14N – Natural source of N (99.63%)
15N – tracer N from fertilizer

soil and plant samples

15N-labelled Urea
Tracer Analysis 14N/15N

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14N from soil N
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15
N from fertilizer N
 Isotope Tracer Technique

6 CO2 + 12 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O

Where does the oxygen released from photosynthesis

come from?

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 Isotope Tracer Technique
16O enriched CO2 18O enriched O2

18O enriched H2O

Curie'sKamen, and Hassid (1941) used 18O and proved that in photosynthesis, oxygen comes
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 Technique for Water Studies
• Measure productive
crop water use
(transpiration) under
various irrigation
schemes - fine-tuning
Water vapor 18O E-T irrigation management
• Determine
unproductive water loss
(evaporation) to
minimize this loss.
18O T
Plant water
(-) per mil

Evaporation front (water)

18O E
more (-) per mil
% water by evaporation

% water by transpiration
 Carbon Isotope Technique Contribution of different land use types to sediment sources in Inle Lake from
CSSI data
50

45 43.8

40
Winet al, 2017
35

30

contribution (%)
25

20

15 13.6 13.7
12.0

10 8.9

5.7
5
2.3

Wemer et al, 2012; Cerling et al, 1997 0

Degraded/bare
land
Fallow land Road Bank Vegetable land shrub with 80%
cover
natural Forest

Land use/vegetation types

13Cis used to:
• measure plant stomatal • trace the source and sink of soil organic
conductance (water use efficiency) matter (SOM) accumulation and deposition
• study the photosynthetic pathways • deconstructs the sediment mixture from
(PP) and classify plants according to erosion hot spots using the compound
PP as reflected by its 13C isotopic specific stable isotope analysis (13C) of
composition. biomarkers (fatty acids)
 60-90 mm
6-8
mm

Oriental fruit fly

(Bactrocera dorsalis)
Mango pulp weevil
(Sternochetus frigidus)
8-10 mm

Coconut leaf beetle

(Brontispa longissima) Photo: G.B.Obra
 Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)
• a method of pest control using area-wide inundative releases of
sterile insects to reduce fertility of a field population of the
same species (FAO, 2005)

The implementation of an integrated fruit fly management

program based on SIT in Guimaras Island facilitated the export
of mangoes to the US and Australia in 1994.

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 Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

Rearing of adult fruit fly in

cages until 30-40 days

Irradiation of fruit fly pupae for release

in the target area
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 Quarantine Treatment

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 Quarantine Treatment
• adult mango pulp weevil was the most tolerant stage to
gamma irradiation based on predicted dose for 100% sterility
at 95% confidence limit

The identified dose of 165 Gy based on confirmatory tests

provided relevant scientific evidence that resulted in the
amendment of USDA-APHIS PPQ Treatment Manual by
adding a lower dose of irradiation compared to 400 Gy used
for most plant insect pests.
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 Quarantine Treatment
• a scientific breakthrough – PNRI was able to develop the first and
only phytosanitary treatment protocol against MPW
2015 Most Outstanding R&D (Industrial Category) given by PCIEERD
2017 Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award (Regional and National
Level) - Mango Weevil Research Team
2022 - effectivity of the adoption by the Commission of Phytosanitary
Measures of the Food and Agricultural Organization as an
international standard
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 Quarantine Treatment
Food and Agriculture of the United
Nations and International Plant
Protection Convention. 2022. PT 43:
Irradiation treatment for
Sternochetus frigidus

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 Plant Mutation Breeding (PMB)
• the deliberate induction and development of mutant lines for
crop improvement (Freisleben and Lein, 1944)
• the use of mutational/mutagenic agents (mutagens) to develop
plant varieties with desirable characteristics (agronomic or
horticultural) called mutants
• a non-conventional method of plant breeding used to develop
mutant varieties
What mutant plants do you know?
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 “Palay” (Oryza sativa)
Variety Registration Number Characteristics

better yield potential, 8

NSIC 2000 Rc 78 and days shorter in maturity
Pampanga
MV ID No. 2393 and 5 cm shorter in height
than the original variety
NSIC 2011 Rc 272 and
Sahod Ulan 2 MV ID No. 4468 tolerant to drought stress

NSIC 2013 Rc 436 and tolerant to drought stress

Sahod Ulan 11
MV ID No. 4467 and salinity
Comparison of Parent and Mutants
 “Palay” (Oryza sativa)
Variety Registration Number Characteristics

intermediate to resistant
Nipponbare-25Kr-AC-29-
NSIC 2017 Rc 482SR reaction to major pests
1-1-1-1 (J)
and diseases

Salinas 33 NSIC 2019 Rc 558 tolerant to salinity

tolerant to drought stress

NSIC 2019 Rc 572 and
Sahod Ulan 28 and resistant to blast and
MV ID No. 4903
tungro
tolerant to salinity,
Salinas 39 NSIC 2022 Rc 686
submergence and drought
 NSIC 2019 Rc 572 (Sahod Ulan 28)
Agronomic Characteristics
Ave. Yield (t-ha-1) 2.8
Ecosystem:
Rainfed-drought Max. Yield (t-ha-1) 4.5
Year Released: Maturity (DAS) 109
2019 Height (cm) 99
Breeding Institution: Number of tillers 74
PhilRice

Drought tolerant
Disease resistance:
blast, tungro
Amylose content:
20.9% (intermediate)
Head rice recovery:
53.4% (Grade 1) Parental material – NSIC 2001 Rc 9 (Apo)
Grain size and shape:
long and intermediate Treatment – tissue cultures irradiated

with 30 Gy acute gamma rays

 Comparison of Parent and Mutant

FR13A (wildtype) NSIC 2022 Rc 686 (Salinas 39)

 Mutant Varieties of Ornamental Plants
Variety Registration Number Characteristic/s
NSIC 2001 Or 055 and plant size or architecture
Murraya ‘Ibarra Santos’ and flowering frequency
MVD ID No. 3401
stiff and robust plant with
NSIC 2001 Or 063 and
Dracaena ‘Marea’ modified variegation of
MVD ID No. 3402
leaves
NSIC 2014 Or 085 and
Dracaena ‘Sun Beam’ chlorophyll mutation
MVD ID No. 3439

NSIC 2008 Or 066 and

Sansevieria ‘Sword of Ibe’ chlorophyll mutation
MVD ID No. 3316
“Kamuning” (Murraya paniculata)
J. R. Tugo

‘Ibarra Santos’
 3.5 cm

A visiting scientist from USDA admiring the Philippine Dwarf “Kamuning”

Dracaena ‘Ivory’ Dracaena sanderiana Dracaena ‘’Flavo viridis’’

Dracaena ‘Gold’ Dracaena ‘Marea’ Dracaena ‘Sun Beam’

 Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
J. R. Sahagun

Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’ Sansevieria ‘Sword of Ibe’

 Mutant Varieties of Ornamental Plants
Variety Registration Number Characteristic/s
NSIC 2005 Or 061 and
Cordyline ‘Medina’ chlorophyll mutation
MVD ID No. 3403
compact spiral leaves with
NSIC 2009 Or 083 and
Cordyline ‘Afable’ field resistance to
MVD ID No. 3318
Phytophthora sp.
NSIC 2008 Or 067 and
Freycinetia ‘Golden Stairs’ chlorophyll mutation
MVD ID No. 3317

NSIC 2014 Or 084 and

Schefflera ‘Sparkles’ chlorophyll mutation
MVD ID No. 3440
 “Tuncod Pari” / Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

J. R. Tugo J. R. Tugo

Cordyline ‘Itchy Red’ Cordyline ‘Medina’

“Tuncod Pari” / Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)
J. R. Sahagun

Cordyline ‘Kiwi’ Cordyline ‘Afable’

Original: Stairway-To-Heaven (Freycinetia multiflora)
J. R. Tugo J. R. Tugo

floral bracts foliage

Mutant: Freycinetia multiflora ‘Golden Stairs’

floral bracts foliage

 J. R. Sahagun

Schefflera ‘Sparkles’
 Mutant Varieties of Ornamental Plants
Variety Registration Number Characteristic/s
NSIC 2021 Or 101 and plant architecture and
Plumeria ‘Illuminance’ characteristics of flowers
MVD ID No. 4943

NSIC 2021 Or 102 and plant architecture and

Plumeria ‘Radiance’
MVD ID No. 4944 characteristics of flowers

Acalypha ‘Excitation’ NSIC 2022 Or 108 chlorophyll mutation

Dillenia sibuyanensis plant architecture and

-
‘Gold Mine’ floriferousness
 Frangipani or “Calachuchi”
(Plumeria rubra)

Plumeria ‘Illuminance’ Plumeria ‘Radiance’

Frangipani or “Calachuchi”
(Plumeria rubra)

Control/unirradiated sibling
 Miniature Acalypha

Acalypha ‘Brownie’ Acalypha ‘Excitation’

A banana fruit is rich in potassium (K): 360 mg/100 g or 400 mg/fruit
The potassium is K-40 (40K)– a natural radioactive form of K.
 “Saging Lakatan” (Musa sp., AA)
Mapilak - Mutation-assisted process of improving lakatan

• Lakatan banana with intermediate resistance to Banana Bunchy

Top Virus (BBTV) and aphid vector Pentalonia negronervosa, early
shooting and harvest

Dr. Olivia P. Damasco of IPB, CAFS-UPLB started irradiating tissue

cultures of a select clone in 1999

* developed and registered by the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), College of Agriculture and
Food Science (CAFS), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)
 Mutant Varieties of Banana
Registration
Variety Characteristic/s
Number

resistance to Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)

Mapilak NSIC 2017 Bn 01
and aphid vector Pentalonia nigronervosa

Mapilak Line 2 NSIC 2021 Bn 02 ”

Mapilak Line 3 NSIC 2021 Bn 03 ”

Mapilak Line 4 NSIC 2021 Bn 04 ”

Mapilak Line 5 NSIC 2021 Bn 05 ”
NSIC 2017 Bn-01 (Mapilak)
Plant stature: medium to tall
Time from planting to harvest:
9-12 months
Bunch weight: 14-24 kg
Number of hands: 6-9
Number of fingers: 121-165
Whole fruit
Weight: 107-200 g
Length: 143-165 mm
Width: 33-39 mm
Thickness: 29-34 mm
Fat content: 0.23%
Protein content: 1.46%
Crude fiber content: 0.93%
Carbohydrate content: 30.58%
Total Soluble Solid: 26-29%
Reaction to BBTV: intermediate resistance
Reaction to aphid vector: intermediate resistance
 References
Obra, G.B., Resilva, S.S., Follett, P.A. & Lorenzana, L.R.J.
2014. Large-scale confirmatory tests of a
phytosanitary irradiation treatment against
Sternochetus frigidus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in
Philippine mango. Journal of Economic
Entomology 107(1):161-165

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 References
Aurigue, F.B. 2020. DOST-PNRI Mutant Variety: Dracaena
'Sun Beam.’ Philippine Journal of Science 149 (S1):
11-14
Aurigue, F.B. 2012. PNRI Mutant Variety: Cordyline
‘Afable.’ Philippine Nuclear Journal 17:1-8
Aurigue, F.B. 2011. PNRI Mutant Variety: Sansevieria
‘Sword of Ibe.’ Philippine Nuclear Journal 16:36-40
Aurigue, F.B. 2010. PNRI Mutant Variety: Freycinetia
multiflora ‘Golden Stairs.’ Philippine Nuclear Journal
15:1-4
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 References
IAEA Mutant Variety Database
(https://mvd.iaea.org)

Joint FAO/IAEA Programme Manual

on Mutation Breeding. Third
Edition (2018)
Available online:
http://www.fao.org/3/I9285EN/i9285en.pdf

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 Maraming salamat po
sa inyong pagdalo at pakikinig!
- Nanding
fbaurigue@pnri.dost.gov.ph
faurigue@gmail.com

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