The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has detected an increased level of acidity in sugarcane fields due to the volcanic ash fall caused by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano earlier this week.
The acid test conducted at the SRA’s La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City on Tuesday morning, June 4, showed 4.14 pH on sugarcane leaves and 5.06 pH in the soil.
The results showed increased acidity compared to the 6.48 pH tested last week.
In a statement, SRA chief Pablo Luis Azcona said the 6.48 pH level “should have been ideal,” based on the neutral pH level of 7.
“The pH level of 7 is neutral but years of tilling sugar fields [have] affected our soil,” Azcona said.
“With the current results after the ash fall, if this will not be washed out by rains, we will need soil rejuvenation in the affected sugar lands to bring it back to the ideal state, and that is long term,” he added.
Azcona said it is too early to tell if the volcanic ash caused so much damage to sugarcane fields.
It has been raining on the affected places, as he hopes that the acidity on the ground will be diluted.
Meanwhile, the SRA said around 23,000 hectares of sugarcane in four sugar mill districts may have been affected by Kanlaon’s volcanic eruption.
“We will continue to monitor pH recovery and what needs to be done,” Azcona said.
“We have assigned field personnel, with SRA Board Member David Sanson, to go around affected areas and coordinate with the farmers,” the SRA chief added.
Among the measures the SRA would recommend if ash fall continues are using cover crops, utilizing irrigation by washing off plants and soil, and applying lime or organic matter to neutralize soil pH levels.
The SRA said volcanic eruptions cannot be ignored as they can affect agricultural productivity, citing the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and the Eyjafjallajökul eruption in 2010 in Iceland, which disrupted farming due to ash fall and subsequent atmospheric changes.
Based on a report from SRA’s research and development department, the volcanic ash could cause physical damage to sugarcane leaves, affecting their photosynthesis capability.
The ash could also cause biological and chemical disruption in the soil, which leads to a reduction of yield, the report added.
Its long term effects on sugar crops are nutrient imbalance in the soil, chemical leaching, compaction, and erosion on the ground that may reduce its pH level.
However, sugar planters could benefit from the volcanic ash fall, as it is rich in minerals and nutrients, such as potassium and phosphorus, which could improve crop yields and enhance soil fertility in the long run.
The report said volcanic ash improves soil texture and water retention, reducing the need for frequent irrigation.
It acts as a natural pesticide by creating a physical barrier, deterring pests and disrupting their life cycles, while reducing the need for chemical interventions, it added.
On Monday night, June 3, Kanlaon Volcano erupted and produced a 5,000-meter plume, bringing coarse ash fall and sulfurous odor to the surrounding localities in Negros Occidental.
Sugarcane fields in the municipalities of La Castellana, Moises Padilla and Pontevedra, as well as La Carlota City, turned gray because of volcanic ash. / With reports from PNA / WDJ