A ground breaking was conducted for the establishment of the first innovative tissue culture laboratory for ornamental plants in Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto, Bulacan.
The ground breaking ceremony of the tissue culture laboratory for ornamental plants was led by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, together with DOST-3 (Central Luzon) Regional Director Julius Caesar V. Sicat, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, and Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz.
“The thriving business of garden or ornamental plants in this town can be further enhanced through the introduction of new product lines, the target of new market segments and expansion of territory,” Dela Peña stated.
The DOST regional secretary highlighted that more opportunities in global trading will be generated by the establishment of the laboratory which can provide benefits to ornamental owners, farmers, and growers.
Moreover, he explained that a tissue culture enables single plant can reproduce more planting materials which have propagated from vegetative parts.
“In tissue culture, the number of planting roots is more. This tissue culture will benefit not only those garden owners but also students here in the province of Bulacan, ” the secretary emphasized.
Respectively, Sicat stated that the said collaborative project of DOST and the local government also aims to help the ornamental planters of the region.
“The construction of the building will be shouldered by the LGU while the laboratory equipment, supplies and personnel will be provided by DOST through its Grants-In-Aid program which was approved last September 13,” report from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) mentioned.
Further, Sicat added that DOST donated PHP2,790,823 as an aid for the establishment of the laboratory for tissue culture.