The Innovative Tissue Culture Laboratory for Ornamental Plants (iLAB Garden City) in Bulacan will be launched and will be fully operational by the fourth quarter of this year, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has disclosed.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña made the announcement in
"It is expected that by the fourth quarter of 2021, the iLAB Garden City will be launched and fully operational,” he said.
He said the project is made possible through the collaboration of DOST-Central Luzon (DOST-III) and the local government unit (LGU) of Guiguinto.
"The cost for the construction of the building of the iLAB Garden City is shouldered by the LGU Guiguinto through their local government fund, while the cost of the needed laboratory equipment and materials, laboratory personnel, technical training and grow-out facility of propagated ornamental explants will be funded by the DOST-III,” he said.
The project calls for the development of the gardening and landscaping industry of Guiguinto, Bulacan through the establishment of an iLab for sustainable propagation of various ornamental plants.
It "aims to provide technical assistance and know-how to the ornamental plant farmers in the municipality of Guiguinto through the establishment of a tissue culture laboratory intended for the production and propagation of ornamental plants,” de la Peña said.
He said the iLAB Garden City is also expected to supplement the propagation of ornamental plants by the farmers when they require large scale production of ornamental plants.
"Currently, the ornamental plant farmers in Guiguinto employ conventional farm practices such as cuttings, marcotting and grafting. However, such conventional practices have high mortality rates of transplants and may not be applicable for propagating some ornamental plant species,” the DOST chief said.
"Ornamental plant farmers are having difficulties propagating some ornamental plants such as Bucida spinosa, Cypress plant (Cupressus family), Creeping Jennifer (Lysimachia nummularia), Ornamental Legumes (Caesalpinioidae, Mimosoidae, Faboideae), among others. In order to address this, the iLAB Garden City is being established.”