Renerio Jr. Pelegrino Gentallan

University of the Philippines Los Baños | UPLB · Institute of Crop Science

In the field of crop science, it is fundamental to identify, characterize, and classify cultivated plants. Doing so could unlock the value and potential of a particular crop species. Knowledge of these also allows us to assess and consider the various genotypic and environmental factors that are vital to its effective management. This field guide w...

The ‘List of descriptors for Canarium ovatum Engl.' consists of a set of characterization and evaluation descriptors which includes a minimum list of highly discriminating descriptors for this species. This strategic set aims at facilitating access to and utilization of pili nut. It does not exclude the addition of other descriptors if needed. The...

‘Sibujing' is an emerging crop species in the Philippines with recorded traditional use as condiment in localized areas in Mindanao. However, its taxonomic identity is confused as it has been attributed to various taxa of Allium. We characterized the morphological, phytochemical and molecular characteristics of a ‘sibujing' accession to establish t...

Next-generation sequencing requires intact and high-quality DNA. However, typical liquid- nitrogen DNA extraction methods are expensive and not practical for field sample collections. Hence, we present a cost-effective method for DNA extraction from silica-dried leaf samples, eliminating the need for liquid nitrogen. Two protocols were evaluated to...

The Vitex trifolia complex in the Philippines comprises economically important medicinal species, but its taxonomic status has become ambiguous due to numerous historical nomenclatural revisions. We assembled the complete chloroplast genomes of five species belonging to this species complex to provide additional evidence for their species delimitat...

Background Cynometra cebuensis F. Seid. is an endemic and threatened tree from the Philippines. The species was previously described to exclusively thrive in the Tabunan Forest of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape. Due to its narrow geographic distribution and threats from land conversion, slash-and-burn activities and non-regulated wood harvest...

DNA barcoding has gained great attention due to its potential for identifying, discriminating, and classifying plant species and revealing the phylogenetic relationships among closely related species. The efficacy of three barcode markers (rbcL, matK, and ITS) and their combinations were evaluated using BLASTn, genetic distance similarity, and tree...

A total of eighty mango accessions located in the orchard were mapped using ArcGISsoftware. However, only seventy-two of these are analyzed by the Shannon-Weaver DiversityIndex due to some accessions being cut down or dead. The remaining mango accessions werecharacterized using the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute's (IPGRI) descripto...

An identified reference germplasm is needed to facilitate the stable sourcing of medicinal plants with correct genotype(s). We aimed to evaluate phytochemical and agro-morphological properties of four pre-selected, genetically stable, and native Vitex trifolia s.l. accessions from the Philippines to provide baseline information and present promisin...

This study will provide information on the molecular characteristics and diversity of the five Hoya species, namely H. pubicalyx, H. pubicenta, H. pubicorolla spp. anthracina, H. carnosa, and H. celata, under the Hoya Section for proper identification, conservation, and breeding of Philippine Hoya

Aside from the leaves and roots, radish seedlings are consumed as a "microgreen". Production of microgreens requires high viability, high vigour seeds. Knowledge of the rates of loss of viability and vigour decline during storage would therefore be useful for radish sprout production, but also in relation to the conservation of radish germplasm in...

V. bicolor, V. trifolia s. str. and V. rotundifolia are part of a species complex that has recorded medicinal use in the Philippines. We assembled the first chloroplast genome of V. bicolor through next-generation sequencing and compared this to earlier established chloroplast genomes of V. trifolia s. str. and V. rotundifolia to provide additional...

Mentha × villosa is a perennial, aromatic herb that is commonly cultivated as a medicinal plant in the Philippines with verified medicinal properties. Using Illumina sequencing data, we assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of an accession of M. × villosa (ICROPS 2020053) from the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Scie...

Background: Garlic belongs to the largest monocot genus, Allium, comprising different species known for their use as spices and medicinal plants. It ranks second in volume and area of production among the Allium species, next to onoin. The Philippines is renowned for garlic varieties with a strong and pungent odour observed in the seven accessions...

Vitex parviflora A.Juss. is a highly valuable construction timber and ornamental landscape species native in the islands of the Philippines and Timor. Here, we assembled and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of V. parviflora which yielded a circularized genome 154,024 bp long, and represented by a quadripartite structure consisting of l...

An objective method to establish apex and base type descriptor states is proposed using elliptic Fourier descriptors derived from appropriately segmented images. Using pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) kernel-in-shell apex as a model, 51 pili accessions represented by 10 kernel-in-shell images per accession were acquired using a calibrated VideometerLab...

Senna alata, a flowering shrub, is widely cultivated in the Philippines for its anti-fungal properties. Despite this, its chloroplast genome is not yet established. We assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of accession from the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, using I...

The Pili nut Key descriptors for (Canarium ovatum Engl.) consist of an initial minimum and strategic set of characterization and evaluation descriptors for this species. This strategic set aims at facilitating access to and utilization of pili nuts.

Biasong’ (Citrus micrantha), native to the Southern Philippine Islands, is an important cultivated fruit tree but has no published plastome sequence. We assembled and characterized the C. micrantha chloroplast genome from accession in the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The complete ch...

Seed characteristics of Tabernaemontana pandacaqui Lam., an indigenous medicinal plant species from the Philippines, were investigated to help identify appropriate conservation strategies. Mature seeds were tested for viability at different dormancy-breaking treatments and storage conditions. Seeds were also characterized morphologically and the se...

The three-leaved chaste tree (Vitex trifolia) is a medicinal and ornamental plant widely distributed from East Africa to the Pacific but has no complete chloroplast genome sequence. We assembled and characterized the V. trifolia accession from the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The co...

Combretum indicum (L.) DeFilipps seeds have anthelmintic properties and are recognized to be medicinal; however, the array of their morphological characters, behavior in storage, and germination pattern are not yet established. This is the first detailed report elucidating the seed characteristics of C. indicum which may influence postharvest handl...

In the Philippines, Combretum indicum (L.) DeFilipps is a native crop important for medicinal and ornamental purposes. Despite its importance in the country, there had been no attempts to elucidate its intraspecific variation. In-situ and ex-situ characterization were done in 15 C. indicum accessions from the collection of the Philippine Bioreposit...

Philippine pigmented traditional rice varieties (TRVs) offer potential novel genes for genetic improvement. In this study, forty-three pigmented traditional rice varieties (TRVs) from Region X, XII and XIII in Mindanao were evaluated using 47 agromorphological (22 qualitative and 25 quantitative) traits, grain chemical properties, disease reaction,...

This research attempts to systematically establish shape descriptor states through elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) using pili (Canarium ovatum Engl.) kernel as a model. Kernel images of 53 pili accessions from the National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory (NPGRL), University of the Philippines Los Baños were acquired using VideometerLab 3. Shape...

Out of 28 SSR markers screened, seven (25%) markers were found to stable, reproducible and highly polymorphic amplifications in 16 Artocarpus heterophyllus accessions and 5 related species. The number of alleles per marker ranged from 6 to 17 with a PIC per marker ranging from 0.73 to 0.89. The haplotype also showed unique banding patterns in the 2...

Atuna racemosa Raf., a forest tree used to season raw fish dish in the Philippines, is proven to have antibacterial properties. The study aimed to help elucidate the significance of using its kernel as a condiment and consequently, increase its value by assessing its antimicrobial and phytochemical properties. The antimicrobial activity of its etha...

A systematic method for determining colour descriptor states using image analysis is proposed using pili (Canarium ovatum) as a model. Kernel images of 52 pili accessions from the core collection of the Institute of Crop Science and National Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory, University of the Philippines Los Baños were captured using a calibrated...

Rice, as a staple food in the Philippines, is the most farmed and stored seeds in the country. This study focused on the storage of rice seeds used for planting, and not for consumption. One of the major factors in seed storage is the moisture content, and according to Harrington's rule of thumb, if you decrease the seed moisture content by 1%, you...

Despite the economic potential of Atuna racemosa, its morphological measurements, seed storage behaviour and detailed seedling growth and development are not yet established. This study characterised the seed morphology, storage behaviour and germination pattern of A. racemosa seeds. Three hundred mature fruits from three accessions of the germplas...

This study specifically classifies Koordersiodendron pinnatum, an indigenous tree in the Philippines with economic potential, to have epigeal hemi-cryptocotylar germination with reserved storage cotyledons. Thirty K. pinnatum seeds were planted and observed regularly for morphological growth and developmental changes until the first two true leaves...

Galo (Anacolosa frutescens), a tree originating from the Philippines with great economic potential, is primarily propagated through seeds. Despite this, nothing has been reported regarding its growth and development, particularly its germination pattern; thus, this study elucidated the germination pattern of galo according to the BBCH (Biologische...

Flower colour variegation is characteristic symptom of viral infections in ornamentals such in the case of camellia, tulip, petunia, and daffodil. This is also seen in different cultivars of Japanese primrose like ‘Shichikenjin’, ‘Sotorihime’ and ‘Isaribi’, signifying a possible viral origin. Putative viral RNA sequences were first identified in th...

The study screened the putative viral RNA sequences in the cDNA library of Japanese primrose, and conducted a molecular approach in determining its presence in selected Primula sieboldii accessions showing characteristic viral symptoms. Three putatively viral non-homologous sequence groups of RNA were identified; however, coding for different prote...

An increasing trend of soybean production and consumption has been seen in the Philippines. To assess the potential of the soybean germplasm for utilization, diversity of the Philippine soybean collection was established. High diversity was marked on 17 out of 29 qualitative characters, which include plant growth habit, leaf blistering and flower s...

Prokaryotic Cell Growth Inhibition of Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) leaf stalk: Implications to herbal antibiotic production