PGC Agriculture

MARCH 2026
National Women's Month! 🌸

To all the women who break barriers, inspire change, and lead with courage— including our very own PGC Agriculture staff members headed by R&D Program Director Dr. Maria Genaleen Q. Diaz, this month is for you. Let’s continue to champion equality and celebrate every achievement, big and small. 🌸

ATM || PGC Agriculture researchers, Dr. Jorge Gil C. Angeles and Mr. Jeric C. Villanueva, join the 2026 DOST - National Research Council of the Philippines Annual Scientific Conference and 93rd General Membership Assembly held at the Philippine International Convention Center, Manila.

📌NEW PUBLICATION📌

Article:
𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞-𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢 𝐩𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 (𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙪𝙪𝙢 𝐋.) 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙞

Dr. Jorge Gil C. Angeles, University Researcher III of PGC Agricuture co-authored a recent publication in 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. This study highlights the chili pepper transcriptome under P. capsici infection which provides evidence of shared gene expression across multiple tissues. The results can further be used for breeding and selection for broad-spectrum resistance in current Capsicum germplasm.

📢 THAT’S A WRAP
The 1k1RG Program General Assembly 2026

The 1k1RG Program successfully convened its 2026 General Assembly, bringing together partners from the DA National Rice Program, DOST-PCAARRD, DA-PhilRice, UPLB, PGC, CIMMYT, IRRI, and New York University for a two-day program review and planning session.

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board participated through both face-to-face and hybrid attendance, contributing insights and guidance to the program’s implementation.

The program aims to improve the productivity and climate resilience of traditional Philippine rice varieties while highlighting their cultural, economic, and culinary importance. Through updates on phenotyping, genome sequencing, database development, and bioinformatics capacity-building initiatives, the assembly reinforced the shared commitment to advancing Philippine rice research for farmers, consumers, and national food security.

📢 Hybrid Seminar Invitation | KOICA–UPLB–IRRI Program

Join us for a hybrid seminar on:

🧬 Modeling Long ncRNA-Mediated Regulation in the Mammalian Cell Cycle

📅 26 February 2026
⏰ 4:00–5:00 PM
📍 NCBL Conference Room 1 & 2, IRRI HQ
💻 Also via Zoom (pre-registration required)

Our speaker, Dr. Jomar F. Rabajante, Dean of the UPLB Graduate School and Professor at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, will discuss approaches to understanding long ncRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms in the mammalian cell cycle.

🔗 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uJpL5r7YR2WA-y8dQkyhQg

We look forward to your participation!

📌NEW PUBLICATION📌

Article:
β-𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Ms. Grace C. Lachica, former University Researcher of PGC Agriculture and currently Assistant Professor of the Institute of Crop Science (ICrops) UPLB, authored the recent publication and a review paper in 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Together also as co-authors are former PGC Agriculture Program Director Dr. Antonio Laurena and current ICrops Director Dr. Eureka Teresa Ocampo.

This study highlights b-CC and its oxidized derivative b-CCA as key apocarotenoid signals that integrate oxidative stress perception,
detoxification, and developmental regulation across diverse plant
taxa. In addition, their conserved roles in modulating photosynthetic stability, antioxidant defense, and root plasticity highlight their importance as central mediators of abiotic stress adaptation.

His Excellency Lee Sang-hwa, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines, visited the Agricultural Genomics Center on January 13. During the visit, he met briefly with UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. to discuss the completion and planned inauguration of the Center later this year. Also present at the meeting were UPLB Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Dr. Nathaniel Bantayan, UPLB Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Eric Paul D. Peralta, IRRI Research Director for Rice Breeding Innovations Dr. Michael Quinn, and KOICA Country Director Mr. Jung Young Sun.

🌾 Join us for the KOICA-UPLB-IRRI Seminar Series! 🌾

The KOICA-UPLB-IRRI Program would like to invite you to an upcoming webinar.

📅 Date: January 15, 2026 (Thursday)
🕘 Time: 04:00-5:00 PM (Manila Time)
📍 Venue: Zoom Webinar (Pre-registration required)

🔗 Register Here: https://forms.gle/8H2hiQVvpVMU1Hdi9

Topic: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱: 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

👩‍🔬 Speaker: 𝗗𝗿. 𝗛𝗮𝗲𝗸𝗼𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗺
Technical Adviser, Plant Production and Protection Division of the Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations (FAO)

📌NEW PUBLICATION📌

Article:
𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐍𝐀 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖 𝙤𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙖 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐛𝐜𝐋 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐧𝐋-𝐅 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬

Ms. Grace C. Lachica, a University Researcher of PGC Agriculture, co-authored the recent publication in Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution of 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

This study provides the first molecular evidence that chloroplast DNA barcodes can resolve intraspecific genetic structure in Cananga odorata, distinguishing forma-level lineages and supporting applications in taxonomy, varietal identification, and conservation.

2025 WRAP-UP 🎖🎉

Dr. Maria Genaleen Q. Diaz, Program Director of PGC-Agriculture, presented the program's 2025 accomplishments and outlined the 2026 research and extension agenda during the PGC Year-End Assembly 2025 held at PGC, UP Diliman.

🚨🚨 THAT'S A WRAP! 🚨🚨

The EMBL-EBI Training Team has officially concluded its 2-day bioinformatics workshop — capped off with the “Train the Trainer” session! 🎉

This final session brought together researchers from the 1k1RG project, all aiming to strengthen skills in delivering effective, high quality bioinformatics training across institutions. Participants explored best practices in teaching, hands-on training design, and creating impactful learning experiences for future learners.

This event was made possible through the partnership of PGC Agriculture, PhilRice, IRRI, ICS-UPLB and EMBL-EBI — a collaboration committed to empowering researchers and advancing genomic research capacity in the Philippines