BY CESAR JOLITO III
The Negros Occidental provincial government has adopted a standardized biological control protocol to strengthen its campaign against the Red Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI), reinforcing a science-based and environmentally sustainable strategy to protect the province’s sugar industry.
The protocol, developed in coordination with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), was institutionalized through Executive Order No. 26-12, Series of 2026, and will be implemented by the Provincial Biosecurity Task Force as part of an integrated effort to contain the spread of the destructive sugarcane pest.
Provincial officials said the move aims to standardize pest management practices across all cities and municipalities while reducing dependence on chemical pesticides through an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.
Under the protocol, priority will be given to the production, propagation, procurement, and distribution of biological control agents, including entomopathogenic fungi, parasitoids, and beneficial predator insects.
The province said the strategy seeks to suppress RSSI infestations using environmentally sustainable methods, restore ecological balance by conserving the pest’s natural enemies, minimize the use of chemical insecticides, and strengthen coordination among government agencies and sugar industry stakeholders.
The protocol classifies affected sugarcane fields into three infestation levels to guide appropriate interventions.
Fields under Level 3, or those with severe infestations, will initially receive two to three targeted insecticide applications before shifting to biological control measures through the application of entomopathogenic fungi and the release of parasitoids and beneficial predators such as lady beetles, lacewings, and Nigritas.
For Level 2 or moderate infestations, one to two targeted insecticide applications will be conducted before biological control agents are introduced.
Meanwhile, Level 1 areas, where infestations are detected early and remain isolated, will immediately receive biological control interventions without routine chemical spraying.
Provincial officials emphasized that continuous field monitoring, scientific assessment, and close coordination with the SRA will remain essential to ensure that interventions are based on the severity of infestations and current field conditions.
The adoption of the standardized protocol is expected to strengthen Negros Occidental’s long-term response against RSSI while promoting sustainable pest management practices that protect both sugarcane production and the environment./CCJ, WDJ