Bio-control warfare against destructive mites

In LaTrinidad, war is currently happening behind the majoritys awareness. In fact,

the number of casualties skyrocketed to the millions already. This conflict also
slashed millions of pesos off the nations economy leaving victims, mostly in the
marginalized sector of farmers, contaminated fields to cultivate. This conflict is
between the millions, if not billions of Two Spotted Spider Mites (TSSM) against
strawberry growers and the small platoon of researchers headed by Dr. Maria Ana
Tanyag of Benguet State University (BSU).
TSSM infestation
Casualties scored millions which goes as far as the 1980s where TSSM feasted and
killed the bounties of high quality strawberry production here in the north. These
TSSM are the most common and diverse group of plant feeding mites and they are
considered pest of various cultivated crops. They feed and live inside the protection
of web of silk under the leaves of strawberries making them difficult to kill when
sprayed with synthetic pesticides. TSSM infested strawberries crops that led to the
stunting of the plants and non-production of fruits. Most of these infested crops
dried.
More outbreaks followed challenging strawberry farmers to shift to other strawberry
cultivars but to no avail because TSSM leave no runners untouched as the infested
them all. TSSM infestation continued to increase and along with this was the
increasing use of synthetic pesticides as well.
Through the years, battles were fought and won by the strawberry growers through
the use of synthetic pesticides. But as the years progress, these battles left a
scenery of barren wasteland over our strawberry fields. All because of the relentless
usage of synthetic pesticides against TSSM which intensified the acidity level the
soil making it less desirable for strawberry production.
During this time, the only counter which our farmers were forced to do against the
attacks of TSSM towards their crops was the use of synthetic pesticides. This use of
synthetic pesticides is a practice brought about conventional type of farming which
caused the strawberry production in the north, specifically the town capital of
Benguet, LaTrinidad, where most strawberries are being produced, to dwindle at an
alarming rate.
Conventional farming bankrupted most our strawberry growers. In a survey
conducted by BSU, they found out that strawberry growers would have to spend a
staggering amount of 84,600 php on pesticides over a one hectare of strawberry
field. This amount buried most of our strawberry farmers in debt. Lucky if during the
harvest season they can breakeven after spending much on pesticides.
Discovery of the weapon against TSSM

Recognizing the need for an immediate answer to this TSSM crisis, Dr. Tanyag from
BSU College of Agriculture devoted her research to find other necessary means in
eradicating TSSM without the use of synthetic pesticides. Her years of work finally
paid off sometime in the early 2000s when she discovered a biological predator can
devour strawberrys pests, purposely TSSM. Her discovery caused the tides of the
conflict to turn in favor of our farmers.
These predatory mites were reared purposely to attack and eat TSSM from their
eggs to their maturity. Unlike other bio-control agents where it needs to be shipped
from other countries, these predatory mites which feast on these TSSM were
discovered by Dr. Tanyag in our locality.
After being granted the blessing to be disseminated outside for our farmers
utilization, BSU erected a Biological Mite Center to mass produce predatory mite. All
produced predatory were later given away to neighboring strawberry farmers for
free upon their requests.
Requests letters asking the services of Dr. Tanyag and the BSU Biological Mite
Center goes far outside the borders of Benguet.
The need for a revolution
Victory seems yet to be achieved for our farmers. This is despite the discovery of
the bio-control weapon against TSSM. In fact, the discovery was just the first step
towards attaining genuine victory for our farmers as the use of synthetic pesticides
in conventional farming still continues to plague our soils fertility, and so long as
conventional use of pesticides in farming continues to threaten our consumers
health, the quest for genuine victory continues.
Dr. Tanyag stressed the need for farmers to turn away from conventional farming
and embrace the Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) for them to avail the free services
of BSU Biological Mite Center. Also aside from their benefits in availing free services,
their revolution from conventional farming to GAP would benefit our nations
consumers and our environment.
Dr. Tanyag added that the BSU Biological Mite Center also holds free predatory mite
rearing trainings to strawberry growers. This way according to Dr. Tanyag, will
capacitate the farmers to rear their own bio-control agent for them not to be
dependent of BSUs services.
As of this writing, Dr. Tanyag disclosed before this author that they are now
currently studying the possible efficiency of the same predatory mite (Amblyseius
Longispinosus) against Cyclamen Mites (Phytonemus Pallidus). Unlike TSSM which
feast on strawberries during the dry season, Cyclamen Mites in contrast, do their
destruction to crops during the rainy season. And in the study conducted under the

laboratory conditions, the predatory mite showcased promising and positive results
against these Cyclamen Mites.
Dr. Tanyag together with researchers is now considering conduct a tracer research
for them to document impact of their research to strawberry growers. Because for
the past years, there were no reports of TSSM outbreaks although request letters
still reach the desk of Dr. Tanyag until today seeking her help. But that will be
another separate story.