New Fungal Biobank of Plant Disease established at CLSU with the support of JICA

Central Luzon State University (CLSU) opens fungal biobank with the support of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) as part of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) Project for the Development of Novel Disease Management Systems for Banana and Cacao (BaCaDM). The facility, inaugurated on February 9 in Nueva Ecija, will serve as a centralized repository of fungal isolates in Luzon linked to major diseases affecting high-value crops, mainly cacao. The isolates from bananas are currently conserved at Tamagawa University in Japan with the support of Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI).

The biobank is a key component of the BaCaDM project's broader effort to build science-based disease management systems for high-value crops in the Philippines. The project equally highlights the importance of investing in research infrastructure alongside field-based interventions to strengthen agricultural resilience. By improving sample preservation, the biobank is expected to support better crop disease diagnosis, strengthen research continuity and improve disease management.

Attended by JICA Senior Representative IDE Soichiro, officials from CLSU, and partner institutions from both the Philippines and Japan, the opening event featured presentations on plant disease diagnosis for high-value crops and an overview of the fungal biobank's functions and role in the BaCaDM project. Participants were also given a guided tour of the facility, providing a closer look at the laboratories, preservation systems, and operational processes that will underpin future research, diagnostics, and technology development.

CLSU also hosted the Fourth Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) Meeting of the BaCaDM project, bringing together key Philippine and Japanese partners involved in its implementation, including representatives from CLSU, the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan's Tamagawa University, and JICA.

The meeting provided a platform to align research directions, promote coordination among stakeholders, and ensure that project outputs, such as the newly opened biobank, are linked to practical disease management solutions that can be sustained beyond the project period.

Since 2021, the BaCaDM project has worked closely with government, academe, and industry partners to improve disease management for banana and cacao. The inauguration of the fungal biobank signifies a major step forward, equipping researchers and farmers with enhanced diagnostic capabilities and affirming JICA's support for improving crop productivity, value chain efficiency, and farming community resilience.