Soil Science professor from Germany given the highest award by Visayas State University

Prof. Dr. Reinhold Jahn, retired professor of soil science and soil protection at Martin Luther University (also known as University of Halle-Wittenberg), Germany was given the highest award called Sandigan Award (Sandigan means someone you can depend upon) of the Visayas State University (VSU), Baybay, Leyte. In a ceremony on 03 August 2016 at the office of the president, University President Edgardo E. Tulin handed the plaque of recognition to Prof. Jahn in the presence of Dr. Wolfreda T. Alesna, Chairperson of the Awards Committee and several faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Soil Science of VSU.

Prof. Reinhold Jahn receiving the Sandigan Award from Univ President Edgardo E. Tulin

Prof. Jahn was recognized “for his invaluable contributions to the Visayas State University. Since 1995 until his retirement in 2012, Prof. Jahn initiated exchange of students between his faculty in Halle and VSU. He mentored and served as host professor to some VSU academic staff and students who conducted short- and long-term researches in his institute. He strongly supported by serving as resource person and lecturer the 13 editions of the international ecology seminar-workshops co-organized by VSU, University of Hohenheim, and the University of Halle-Wittenberg. During his many scientific visits to VSU in the last 20 years, he conducted several seminars and field works for graduate and undergraduate students of soil science and tropical ecology. Finally, the pioneering pedological-ecological researches on the volcanic soils of Leyte that he and his VSU colleagues have conducted and the international publications they published particularly the Guidelines for Soil Description published in several languages by the FAO of the United Nations and which bears the seal of VSU on its cover have brought international prestige to the university.”

Field work at Lake Danao with participants of the international training on soil examination (2006)

Prof. Jahn obtained his Diplom (MSc) from the Technical University of Berlin, his PhD and Habilitation degrees from the University of Hohenheim under Prof. Karl Stahr. He authored or co-authored several books and more than a hundred papers in international journals which have been cited more than 2,000 times (Source: Google Scholar). He has conducted research projects in Germany, Spain, various parts of Africa, China, Indonesia and the Philippines.  He was elected chairman of various commissions in the German Society of Soil Science and the International Union of Soil Sciences.

During a soil excursion to Southern Leyte with graduate students (2009)

The formal awarding ceremony, which Prof. Jahn was not able to attend, was held at the VSU Gym on 10 August 2016 as one of the highlights of the 92nd Anniversary Celebrations of the university. 

Report on the 14th PSSST Scientific Conference held at VSU, Baybay, Leyte

The 14th Annual Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Philippine Society of Soil Science and Technology (PSSST) was held at the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte last 25-27 May 2011. About 140 soil scientists, soil practitioners, and agriculturists working in universities, government agencies, non-government organizations, and private companies throughout the country attended the conference.

The opening program was graced by Dr. Florentino Tesoro who represented Congressman Angelo B. Palmones (AGHAM Partylist), Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo (VSU President), Prof. K. Stahr (Germany), Mr. Deogracias Pernites (representing Mayor Carmen Cari of Baybay City), Dr. Cezar Mamaril (PSSST Adviser), Dr. Eduardo Paningbatan (PSSST Adviser), Ms. Constancia Mangao (PSSST President) and Dr. Victor B. Asio (Dean of the College of Agriculture, VSU).

Prof. Dr. Karl Stahr, the Chairman of Division I of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), gave the keynote lecture about the limestone soils in Southeast Asia particularly Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Dr. Gamini Keerthisinghe of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) gave a plenary paper on challenges to sustainable crop production.

A total of 26 oral papers were presented dealing with various soil topics ranging from fertilization to soil characterization and geospatial modeling. In addition, 25 poster papers were presented. The presenters of the best oral and poster papers were awarded with certificates and cash.

In the afternoon of the last day of the conference, a post-conference tour was organized and sponsored by the Department of Agronomy and Soil Science of VSU to Lake Danao located at 630 m ASL in the central highlands of Leyte. On the way to the lake, the participants were able to see the following: 1) the City of Ormoc; 2) the mouth and headwater of Anilao River which caused the tragic flooding of Ormoc City in 1991 killing 8,000 people; 3) the volcanic landscape which was traditionally used for large-scale sugarcane production; 4) the 1,912 ha Lake Danao along the Philippine Fault Line; 5) an Andisol soil profile (Typic Hapludand); and 6) the Tongonan Geothermal Plant, one of the largest in Asia.

Overall, the conference was a great success. The attendance of Prof. Stahr from the University of Hohenheim in Germany and Dr. Keerthisinghe from ACIAR in Australia gave the conference an international standing especially since Prof. Stahr represented the IUSS of which PSSST is a member.

The Department of Agronomy and Soil Science of VSU which co-hosted the conference, is grateful to the VSU president for the encouragement and support, and the officers and advisers particularly Dr. Cezar Mamaril of PSSST for bringing the conference to VSU.

A report on this conference has been published in the IUSS Bulletin Vol. 119 (Dec 2011 issue)

(All photos were taken by Glenn Largo)

Leading Soil Scientist is Keynote Speaker of the 14th PSSST Conference in May 2011

Prof. Dr. KARL STAHR, Chairman of Division I (Soil in Space and Time) of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), the global association of soil scientists, has accepted our invitation to be the Keynote Speaker of the 14th PSSST Scientific Conference on 25-27 May 2011 at VSU, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines.

Prof. Stahr gained his doctorate from the Technical University Stuttgart, Germany, in 1972 and his Habilitation (highest academic qualification required to become a professor in Germany and several other European countries) in Soil Science at the University of Freiburg in 1979. Since 1988 he is Professor of Soil Science and Petrography at the Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart. His main fields of research are: soil genesis, soil mineralogy, land evaluation, N-cycle, and recycling of organic waste. He has conducted research projects dealing with forest and agricultural soils of Germany as well as Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, PR China, Somalia, Niger, Benin, Vietnam, Thailand, and Philippines.

Prof. Stahr has been actively involved in a wide range of professional activities serving as: Vice Chairman (1979-1981, 1985-1989) and Chairman (1989-1995) of Commission VII of the German Soil Science Society, Vice Chairman of Commission VII of the International Soil Science Society (1986-1998), and President of the German Soil Science Society from 1998 to 2001. He has organized several national and international workshops, excursions and congresses.He has been elected member of many University boards since 1967 such as Dean of the Faculty of Landscape Planning, Technical University of Berlin (1987/88), Dean of the Faculty of Plant Production and Landscape Ecology, University of Hohenheim (2000-2002) and as Vice Dean of the same faculty since 2002. He also serves as Chairman of the special research project "Uplands Program 564" of the University of Hohenheim since 2005.

He has authored and co-authored hundreds of papers which appeared in prestigious peer-reviewed international journals as well as several influential textbooks in soil science (in German). He is in the Editorial Boards of Catena, Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Geoderma, Trends in Soil Science, and Hohenheimer Bodenkundliche Hefte.

Prof. Stahr has supervised close to a hundred PhD students from many countries around the world.

Report on the 12th PSSST Conference held on May 21-22, 2009 in Davao City

Contributed by Judith Carla P. dela Torre (PhilRice)

The 12^th Annual Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Philippine Society of Soil Science and Technology, Inc. (PSSST) was held at Eden Nature Park, Toril, Davao City last May 21-22, 2009. About 140 members from the different international and local institutions, agencies, and state colleges and universities participated in the said event. With this year’s theme titled “Enhancing Soil Productivity and Environmental Quality”, scientists, researchers, extension workers, and students presented their paper and posters to help in finding solutions to issues like soil erosion, decreasing soil fertility and climate change; and to achieve better soil productivity for our country’s sustainable food production program.

The keynote address on “Rice Science for Food Self-sufficiency” was given by Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio, Executive Director of PhilRice. He discussed the rice self-sufficiency program to be achieved by 2013 and challenged soil scientists to educate farmers on how to make soil productive, to lead and preach the science of managing available farm and soil resources, and to effectively explain the synergistic effects of various fertilizers on plant growth.

The three plenary papers were: (1) Integrated Soil and Crop Nutrient Management for Vegetables in the Southern Philippines by Dr. Christopher Dorahy of ACIAR, Australia; (2) Facts and Myths of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers by Dr. Cezar P. Mamaril of PhilRice; and (3) Enriched Potting Preparations (EPP) for Various Crops by Dr. Eduardo P. Paningbatan of UPLB.

The technical session was divided into three categories: junior, senior-competing, and senior-non-competing. For the junior category, three PSSST scholarship grantees presented their undergraduate thesis and competed for the best paper. At the same time, ten papers /presentations competed for the senior category while five others presented for the non-competing (senior) category. Moreover, 19 posters were presented and judged for the best poster award.

The following recognitions were awarded by Dr. Danilo M. Mendoza, PSSST President and Dr. Cezar P. Mamaril, Advisory Board Member:

Paper/Oral Presentation

Junior Category

Best Paper- Effects of Varying Soil Moisture Levels on the Growth and Development of Lakatan (Musa acuminate Colla.) (Kathy Tafere)

Senior Category

Best Paper – Studying the Effects of Drought on Rice Production in Nueva Ecija Using Remote Sensing Technology (Judith Carla P. dela Torre)

Second Place – Banana Fertilization at the FPO Plantation: Evaluation of Soil and Leaf Analysis Results (Ma. Asuncion L. Salibay)

Third Place – Performance of Bio-fertilizers in Irrigated Lowland Rice presented (Michelle B. Castillo)

Poster Paper

Best Poster – Can we use commercially available fertilizers for Soil NPK test? (Julie D. Elijay, Constancio A. Asis, Jr., and Jesiree Elena Ann P. dela Torre)

Second Place – Fate of Soil Nutrient after Rice Straw Incorporation (Corazon A. Santin, Jesusa M. Rivera and Evelyn F. Javier)

Third Place – PALAYAMANAN Model in Rainfed Rice Ecosystem in Nueva Ecija (Jesusa M. Rivera, Rizal G. Corales, Leylani M. Juliano, Sandro D. Cañete, Ailon Oliver V. Capistrano, Jeny V. Ravis, Jehru C. Magahud, and Madonna C. Casimero)

PSSST holds 12th national scientific conference

The Philippine Society of Soil Science and Technology (PSSST), the country’s national professional organization of soil scientists and soil practitioners, is holding its 12^th Annual Meeting and Scientific Conference on 20-23 May 2009 at Eden Nature Park and Resort, a beautiful man-made resort on the slopes (about 800 m asl) of Mount Talomo, Toril, Davao City.

The conference which aims to meet the challenges in enhancing soil productivity and environmental quality, reflects the state of the art of soil research, development, extension and policy support in the Philippines. It provides an excellent forum for the exchange of research findings and scientific ideas among established and young soil scientists and soil practitioners working at the various universities, colleges, research centers, and government agencies.

I wish to congratulate the officers led by Dr. Danny Mendoza and the members of the society for organizing this very important activity. I hope most members will be able to attend despite the difficult economic situation we are all in right now.

One person deserves a special mention: Dr. Neo Manguiat. It's largely because of his guidance and support that PSSST has been very successful as a professional organization.

The current PSSST officers are: Dr. D.M. Mendoza, President; Ms. C.G. Mangao, Vice-President; Dr. V.M. Padilla, Secretary; Ms. C.D. Bacatio, Tresurer; Dr. P.P. Juico, Auditor; Dr. C.A. Asis, Jr., PRO; Ms. R.N. Atienza, Business Manager; Ms. E.F. Javier, Dr. C.P. Laurea, Dr. E.P. Paningbatan, Jr., Dr. P.B. Sanchez, Mr. M.M. Marquez, Board Members; and Dr. C.P. Mamaril and Dr. I.J. Manguiat, Advisers. Ms. B.C. Magno, Ms. A.C. Marca, and Ms. A.T. Guy, Liaison Officers.