BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is looking at mass-producing the entomopathogenic fungi to eliminate the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) that have been destroying sugarcane farms in Negros and Panay.
The SRA is studying the multiplication of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, which are widely used as biological control agents against insects that feed on plants and other agriculture produce.
“These fungi aggressively attack and kill adult RSSI, including the eggs,” SRA chief Pablo Luis Azcona said during the RSSI management training workshop in Bacolod City on Monday.
The RSSI infestation has affected 2,932.28 hectares of sugarcane fields, most of which are in Negros Occidental.
“It’s a major breakthrough. It is a natural fungus in sugarcane, not chemical. We hope to multiply and distribute it for free to farmers for spraying,” Azcona said. “We can teach farmers’ associations and local government units how to replicate and multiply the fungus.”
Studies showed that RSSI can reduce the sugar content of sugarcane by almost 50 percent.