LLA1 PLANT BREEDER &
COMPANY
NATIONAL SCIENTIST BENITO
S. VERGARA, 23 JUNE 1934 – 24
OCTOBER 2015
Benito Vergara is a Filipino
scientist who received the National
Scientist award in 2001.
Personal Information
Full Name : Benito S. Vergara
Birth Date : June 23, 1934
Died : October 24, 2015
Birthplace : Philippines
Father : Jose Vergara (Physician)
Mother : Luisa Sibug (Nurse)
Spouse : Lina Manalo
Education
College : University of the
Philippines Diliman (1955)
Course : Botany
Master : Botany, University of
Hawaii at Manoa (1959)
Doctorate : Plant Sciences,
University of Chicago (1960)
Career Highlights
1994 – Led the establishment of
the Riceworld Museum and
Learning Center at the University of
the Philippines in Los
Baños, Laguna
1992-1996 – Director for
Administration, International Rice
Research Institute
1961-1991 – Associate Plant
Physiologist and later, Head of
Plant Physiology and Agronomy,
International Rice Research
Institute
1960 – Faculty Member, University
of the Philippines
Contribution to Science
* Conducted intensive studies on
Rice Production
Book (s) Published
Illustrated Manual on Planting Rice
The Farmer’s Primer on Growing
Rice
A collection of Catalogues on
Ornamental Plants
Gabby Ghas – A Children‘s Book
on Rice Production
Awards
2001 – National Scientist of the
Philippines
The country’s renowned plant
physiologist, National Scientist
Benito S. Vergara passed away on
October 24, 2015 at the age of 81.
The National Academy of Science
and Technology, Philippines
(NAST, PHL), joins the scientific
community in mourning the demise
of NS Vergara. He was recognized
for his scientific and technological
achievements in the physiology of
rice — its flowering response to
photoperiod, Deepwater
physiology, flood tolerance, cold
tolerance, ratooning, growth and
development, rice herbage, UV-B
and yield potential, from his
researches conducted at the
International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI).   His seminal work
on the physiology of Deepwater
rice and flood tolerance in the rice
plant resulted in the development
of screening procedures for flood
tolerance, which has been adopted
by national breeding programs
leading to the identification of
parent materials with excellent
flood tolerance.
 
NS Vergara’s extensive work on
the flowering response of rice to
photoperiod, was applied to
upgrade rice varieties. He helped
develop different screening
techniques for cold tolerance at
different stages of the rice life
cycle. Through such methods, cold
tolerant rice cultivars were
identified and were used as parent
materials in national breeding
programs, an important contribution
to Philippine agriculture. He also
developed and streamlined a
breeding methodology known as
the “Rapid Generation Advance” to
improve varieties of rice planted in
cold areas. The technique is now
used by many national breeding
programs. He conceptualized a
model for an even higher yielding
rice – the so-called “super rice”
based on a new ideotype with the
correct panicle morphology, grain
development and low tillering habit
as key components. He and his
group pioneered research on the
possible effects of ozone depletion
in the atmosphere on the growth,
development and yield of rice.
He was recognized by former
President Gloria Arroyo for his
groundbreaking research efforts on
the growth duration, rationing,
tillering, flowering, and gain yield of
rice, which established the
parameters for the blue prints for
two successive models of high-
yielding rice plant type.  He
popularized the scientific basis of
modern way of growing rice, which
was circulated around the world.
 
During his last years at IRRI, Dr.
Vergara conceptualized, designed
and pushed for the establishment
of the Riceworld Museum and
Learning Center which was
inaugurated in 1994. He was also
instrumental in designing and
putting together the NAST
Philippine Science Heritage Center
(PSHC) or Salinlahi, which focuses
on the scientific and technological
achievements of Filipino scientists.
 
In addition to his more than 100
scientific publications, NS Vergara
wrote a book “A Farmer's Primer on
Growing Rice”, which has more
than 50 editions and 50
translations. The book discusses
the essence of scientific knowledge
on rice production that ordinary
farmers could understand. As
Visiting Professor at UP Los
Baños, he mentored 17 MS and 14
PhD students in agronomy and
botany as well as trained many
scholars from rice growing
countries all over the world.
 
NS Vergara received numerous
awards, among which were the
BIOTA Achievement Award and the
Pro Patria Award (1980), Fellow of
the American Society of Agronomy
(1986), and Honorary Scientist
from the Republic of Korea (1998).
For his significant contributions in
plant physiology studies in the
country, he was elected member by
the National Academy of Science
and Technology (NAST) in 1987
and was conferred the rank and
title of National Scientist in 2001 by
the Philippine president.
 
He obtained his BS in Botany from
the University of the Philippines
(1955), MS in Botany from the
University of Hawaii (1959), and
PhD in Plant Physiology from the Area (8.42 hectares)
University of Chicago in 1960. E. Upgrade RDE Support Facilities
  of BPI La Granja inckuding the
At IRRI, Dr. Vergara served as Development of alternative water
Plant Physiologist and later as system and seed Production.
Director for Administration until he
retired in 1996.. Upon retirement, LINKAGES:
he shifted his work to ornamental WESVARRDEC
plants and fruit trees and the LGARDC
expansion of the Salinlahi. DA-RFU 6
  La Carlota City College
Necrological service in honor of Provincial R, D & E Network
National Scientist Benito S. PhilRice
Vergara was held at the LSU
Department of Science and NAFC
Technology front lobby on October PCC
29, 2015. BAR
LGUs
LA GRANJA – Bureau of Plant NGOs
Industry KMPCI
BBIMM MPC
VISION
Generation of appropriate SERVICES OFFERED:
technologies response to crop On-the-job Trainings (plant
farming communicaties and propagation, tissue culture, crop
production of high quality basic production of upland crops)
seeds and planting materials of Quality Seed Distribution
superior plant varieties toward Plant Material Distribution
sustainable agriculture and food Technical Consultation
suffficiency. Techno Demo
Lectures
MISION Venue for Trainings/Seminars
Conserve and develop the genetic Farm Practice for Agriculture
resource of legumes and other Students
upland crops and ensure the Seed Analysis
development and protection of high
yielding varieties for commercial REFERENCES
production. 1. https://peoplaid.com/
2019/09/27/benito-vergara/amp
Program Services: 2. https://www.nast.ph/index.php/
A. Develop high Yielding Varieties 1as of 06 November 2015
of legumes and other upland 3. https://www.buplant.da.gov.ph/
Crops. index.php/bpi-office-
B. Crop Protection
C. Generate Organic seed
Production Technologies for
Mandated and Priority Crops.
D. Develop and Maintain, Certified
organic farm sites at its research
area and Jalandoni Production
LLA2 GRAPES
Vitis vinifera (grape vine) is a
flowering plant of the family
Vitaceae which includes the
Virginia creeper. The grape vine is
native to the Mediterranean and
Asia Minor, and was first cultivated
by man over 5,000 years ago. Vitis
vinifera is grown for table grapes,
dried fruit products and wine
production and is cultivated in all
areas of the world that provide
warm dry summers and mild
winters. Vitis vinifera has a haploid
chromosome number of 19,
containing 490 Mb with 30,000
protein-coding genes. The line
selected for sequencing was
PN40024, which was originally
derived from Pinot Noir, and was
bred close to full homozygosity
(about 93%) by successive self-
fertilization
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubm
ed/10617198).
Common names  climbing woody vine that can
Grape, common grapevine,
European grape, grapevine
[English]; raisin, vigne [French
Products: grape leaves, grape
vines, grape canes, grapes
shoots, vine shoots, grape
prunings [English]; feuilles de
vignes, sarments, rameaux de
vigne, résidus de taille de la vigne
[French]; hojas de vid, sarmientos
de vid [Spanish]; foglie di vite,
sarmenti di vite [Italian]
Species 
Vitis vinifera L. [Vitaceae]
Synonyms 
Vitis sylvestris C. C. Gmel.
Feed categories 
  Other forage plants 
  Forage plants
Related feed(s) 
  Grape pomace 
  Grape seeds and grape
seed oil meal
Description 
The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is
a vine cultivated worldwide for its
edible berries (grapes) that are
eaten fresh or pressed to make
wine or grape juice. An important
by-product of the grape crop are
the leaves and shoots that are
pruned once a year for crop
management. These crop
residues form a continuum of
decreasing feeding value, ranging
from fresh green leaves to dry
woody shoots (canes). Grape
leaves and vine shoots have been
used traditionally to feed livestock
in vineyards, particularly in
Mediterranean countries. 
Morphology
The grapevine is a vigorous and
reach a height of 15-20 m in the
wild. In cultivated vines
development is dramatically
reduced through yearly pruning of
shoots and leaves. Grape leaves
are simple circular or circular
ovate in outline, 5-25 cm broad,
with long petioles. They can be
entire or lobed (3 to 5 lobes) and
coarsely toothed. The
inflorescence bears small,
pentamerous, fragrant, yellow-
green flowers. The fruits are
ellipsoid or globose berries, 6-25
mm long, of variable colours (from
green, yellow to dark blue-purple)
depending on the variety. Fruits
(grapes) are juicy, sweet or sour.
They contain 3-4 seeds (Ketsa et
al., 1991; Duke, 1983).
In viticulture, the shoot is the
vegetative stem of the current year
that bears the leaves, tendrils, and
fruit. The cane is the vine shoot
from the period it matures (turns
brown and woody) until the end of
the second year of growth
(Jackson, 2009).
Uses
In vineyards, grape leaves and
shoots are pruned after the grapes
are harvested. These residues are
generally disposed of by mulching
into the vineyard or by burning on-
site (Letaief, 2016). In the
Mediterranean Basin, leaves and
shoots are traditionally browsed by
sheep and goats (Magnier, 1991).
In Turkey, grape leaves are an
important source of forage for
ruminants during the critical period
when quality and quantity of
pasture is limited (Kamalak,
2005). Ensiled grape crop
residues have been recommended
as fodder since the end of the 19th
century (Pau, 1940). Generally,
grape leaves and shoots are
fibrous products that can only be
eaten by ruminants, equids and
rabbits. Grape leaves are also
used for food in many countries
from the Mediterranean area,
Eastern Europe, and Asia. Grape
leaves stuffed with rice are
delicacies known as "yaprak
dolma" in Turkey, "dolmeh barg
mo" in Iran, and "warak enab" in
Egypt and Lebanon (Bekhit et al.,
2016). Grape leaves and shoots
have been reported as a potential
source of natural antioxidants and
as a food supplement (Cetin et al.,
2011).
Distribution 
The grapevine is native from a
region stretching from North-East
Afghanistan to the southern
borders of the Black Sea and
Caspian Sea. It was domesticated
there around 4000 BCE and later
spread to the Mediterranean
Basin, Western Europe, India,
China and Japan. The grapevine
was introduced into the Americas
by the Spaniards. It is now
cultivated worldwide. In some
cases, it hybridized with
native Vitis species, resulting in
cultivars adapted to local
conditions. The grapevine is
grown in both hemispheres,
predominantly within 20 and 50°N
and within 20 and 40°S. It can
grow in tropical areas at altitudes
between 300 and 2000 m.
However, growth and fruit
production are best below 1200 m.
The grapevine requires a long,
sunny, and warm season for the
grapes to ripen, and a relatively
severe winter that promotes plant
dormancy. It withstands winter
frost down to -20°C but light frosts
of -3 to -5°C kill regrowth during
spring, which reduces the yield of
fruit. Summer temperatures of 25-
30°C are optimal for shoot and
berry growth. Hot and dry
summers are best suited for fruit
production because the risk of
disease is reduced. The grapevine
grows on most soils, light or
heavy, deep or shallow, fertile or
not, but responds to better soils
with higher yields. Soil pH should
be between 5 and 8, although
values slightly below 7 are
considered best. Light soils
promote early ripening and a high
sugar content. Soil texture is more
important than soil fertility, and
deep and well-drained soils are
preferred as they favour extensive
root development. The grapevine
is tolerant of drought stress and
will survive and grow in semi-arid
areas where other crops fail. It is a
full sunlight species, but it is
necessary that its leaves protect
the fruits from sun scorch. It
should be sheltered or planted
where strong winds do not occur
(Ecocrop, 2016; Ketsa et al.,
1991).
Production
The grape is one of the world's
most important fruit crops in area,
production and value. In 2012,
grapes were cultivated on more
than 7 million ha and produced 69
million t of fruits, with an average
yield of 9.6 t/ha. 40 million t of
grapes were used for the
production of wine (about 90%)
and juice (around 10%, fresh or
concentrated), 24 million t for fresh
fruit, and 5 million t for dried
grapes (raisins) (OIV,
2016; Castellucci et al., 2013).
The most important producers
were China (9.6 million t), the USA
(6.6 million t), Italy (5.8 million t),
France (5.3 million t), Spain (5.2
million t), Turkey (4.2 million t),
Chile (3.2 million t), Argentina (2.8
million t) and Iran (2.1 million t).
The EU represents 75% of grape
production and 57% of wine
production. The main wine
producers are Italy, France, Spain
(where most of grape production is
used for wine) and the USA. China
is mostly a producer of fresh fruits
(FAO, 2016).
The amounts of crop residues
produced during pruning vary from
0.56 to 2.01 kg/vine depending on
the trellis system and year
(Reynolds et al., 1995 cited by Ye
ZhiJing et al., 2016). The
estimated weight of prunings
(based on 5000 plants/ha x 7
million ha) thus ranges between
20 and 70 million t in 2012 (FAO,
2016). In Spain, it was estimated
that vineyard crop residues are the
main by-product of viticulture
(more than 3 million t/year or 2.9
t/ha) (Molina-Alcaide et al., 2008).
Processes 
Harvest and ensiling
French authors from the mid-20th
century recommended cutting of
the shoots before they shed
leaves in order to maintain their
nutritional value. The shoots were
chopped, crushed and finely
ground to make them more edible
to livestock. The shoots were then
ensiled in well-pressed layers in
airtight silos and covered by straw
and dirt. The silage can be used
after 6 or 7 weeks (Pau, 1940).
Forage management 
Plant density
The grape is mostly propagated by
cuttings or grafting onto rootstocks
that have been selected for their
resistance to drought, salinity or
pests. Some rootstocks are also
adapted to light or heavy soils.
Cuttings should be taken from
healthy, productive vines during
vineyard pruning (Coombe et al.,
2000). A very wide range of plant
spacing is employed in viticulture
as spacing depends on the
training system as well as on vine
vigour (Ketsa et al., 1991). Vine
densities are higher in Europe
(4000-5000 vines/ha) and lower in
California and Australia (1100-
1600 vines/ha) (Jackson, 2009).
Even lower densities have been
reported from Thailand (800
vines/ha), Indonesia and the
Philippines (1000 vines/ha) (Ketsa
et al., 1991).
Training and pruning
Training and pruning are very
important operations in viticulture.
Training is necessary to form the
permanent framework of the vine
and to ensure a minimal distance
between roots and shoots.
Pruning helps to maintain the form
and to regulate fruiting (Ketsa et
al., 1991). The vine needs trellis to
grow correctly. Once the shoots
are attached to the trellis, pruning
is done in order to favour a well-
balanced development of shoots
and to limit the risk of rot, which
occurs when there is too much
leafy material. Inflorescence
thinning is a way to correct the
balance between growth and
fruiting and to enhance fruit
quality, as too many
inflorescences are detrimental to
sugar content (Ketsa et al., 1991).
The major waste generated in
winter and summer pruning are
canes and leaves, respectively
(Cetin et al., 2011).
Environmental impact 
Large amounts of crop residues
are produced every year in
vineyards. Their disposal is of
environmental concern in the main
grape-growing areas (Nogales et
al., 2012). Most pruning residues
are burned but this practice is
generally restricted by
environmental regulations
because of its polluting emissions
and negative consequences on air
quality. Mulching pruning residues
into the soil contributes to
maintaining organic matter
content. However, this practice
may be dangerous in areas
infected by diseases
as Phomopsis viticola and Botrytis
cinerea (Letaief, 2016). As grape
leaves and shoots are widely
underused as animal feed, this
use could help to reduce their
environmental impact (Molina-
Alcaide et al., 2008).
grape, (genus Vitis), genus of
about 60 to 80 species of vining
plants in the family Vitaceae, native
to the north temperate zone,
including varieties that may be
eaten as table fruit, dried to
produce raisins, or crushed to
make grape juice or wine.
Physical description
The grape is usually a woody vine,
climbing by means
of tendrils (modified branches) and
when untrained often reaching a
length of 17 metres (56 feet) or
more. In arid regions it may form an
almost erect shrub. The
edible leaves are alternate,
palmately lobed, and always tooth-
edged. Small greenish flowers, in
clusters, precede the fruit, which
varies in colour from almost black
to green, red, and amber.
Botanically, the fruit is a berry,
more or less globular, within the
juicy pulp of which lie the seeds. In
many varieties the fruit develops a
whitish powdery coating, or bloom.
Major species
The mature fruit of all domesticated
grapes will ferment into a kind
of wine when crushed, and most
grapes can be dried or eaten fresh.
However, it is the European wine
grape (Vitis vinifera) that is used to
produce most standard or higher
quality wines. There are at least
5,000 reported varieties of this
grape, which differ from one
another in such characteristics as
colour, size, and shape of berry;
juice composition (including
flavour); ripening time; and disease
resistance. They are grown under
widely varying climatic conditions,
and many different processes are
applied in producing wines from
them. All of these possible
variations contribute to the vast
variety of wines available.
Domestication and history
Vitis vinifera, the species most
commonly used in wine making,
was successfully cultivated in the
Old World for thousands of years.
Fossilized grape leaves, stem
pieces, and seeds unearthed from
Neogene and Paleogene deposits
(about 2.58–66 million years old) in
the Northern Hemisphere indicate
the long existence and wide
distribution of members of the
genus.
Cultivation
Wine grapes require long, dry,
warm-to-hot summers and cool
winters for their best development.
Severe winter conditions destroy
unprotected vines; spring frosts
occurring after the vines start
growth will kill the shoots and
clusters. Grapes are adapted to a
wide range of soils, ranging from
blow sands to clay loams, from
shallow to very deep soils, from
highly calcareous to noncalcareous
soils, and from very low to high
fertility.Commercial grape varieties
are propagated with cuttings,
segments or canes, or grafts.
Cuttings are usually grown for one
year in a nursery to develop roots.
The grafts consist of a segment of
a stem of a fruiting variety placed
on a rootstock cutting. The
rootstock cuttings are field budded
to the desired fruiting variety in late
summer after being planted in the
vineyard. The point of union of
grafted or budded vines must be
situated well above the ground
level in order to prevent the
production of scion roots.
REFERENCES
1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Grape?
fbclid=IwAR0HoCLw-
kIdkPciiJUeprIKOK1aCLqMdF
YYQHJNsQX3SfUNo07Y08_E
xh8
2. The Editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica • Last Updated: Sep
7, 2022
https://www.britannica.com/pla
nt/grape
3. Published: 05 July 2013
https://bmcecolevol.biomedcent
ral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-
2148-13-141?
4. https://www.feedipedia.org/
node/512?
fbclid=IwAR12baw_on4Quv_-
5. https://www.uniprot.org/
proteomes/UP000009183?
fbclid=IwAR1IVFK4HQ_uNUIL
GDNc3Q6D1baFT3JrS10o64p
T70xaOqDyAyNTJ1b7r_k#:~:te
xt=Vitis%20vinifera%20is
%20grown%20for,with
%2030%2C000%20protein
%2Dcoding%20genes