DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar urged farmers to use the Filipino-developed microbial-based fertilizer “Bio-N” as an alternative to chemical fertilizers whose prices continue to increase because of the continuing Russia-Ukraine war.

Dar stressed that there is a need for massive promotion of Filipino-developed technologies amid the crisis to enhance crop productivity and incomes of farmers and fishers.

“One of these is Bio-N, [which] 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),” Dar said.

Available in 200-gram sachets, Bio-N contains organisms capable of converting nitrogen from the air into ammonium nitrogen in the soil.

According to UPLB-Biotech, the said fertilizer enhances shoot growth and root development and can replace 30% to 50% of the total chemical nitrogen requirement of crops.

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 showed 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,” Dar added.

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 – 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.

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.