Billy is an entomologist of the Biological Control Research Unit (BCRU), and Associate Professor at the Department of Biology of De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila, Philippines. He obtained his Master of Science in Biology and Doctor of Philosophy in Biology degrees from DLSU in 2009 and 2016, respectively. Previous and current research projects of the BCRU which he has been working on focus on integrated pest management (IPM) with emphasis on biologically-based pest management strategies, particularly biological control using parasitoids and predators against agricultural and urban insect pests. He was among the DLSU entomologists who discovered, reported the first record of, and taxonomically described a native species of parasitic wasp that is now recognized as the effective biocontrol agent against a major insect pest of coconut. Supervisors: Divina M. Amalin, Florencia G. Claveria, and Alberto T. Barrion
ABSTRACT The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, w... more ABSTRACT The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, where there is currently an outbreak of the coconut scale insect Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne particularly in the southern parts of the island of Luzon and in some areas in Mindanao. Among Comperiella species, only C. unifasciata Ishii has been reported as a parasitoid of A. rigidus. We report not only new sightings of this parasitoid genus in the Philippines from surveys conducted in parts of the provinces of Laguna and Batangas, but also the discovery of a possibly new species that, like C. unifasciata, has been found to parasitize A. rigidus at a high rate. These findings have presented a potential of biological control against the coconut scale insect problem that has threatened the coconut industry in the country.
Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines.... more Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines. It is one of the four Helopeltis species endemic to the Philippines, easily recognizable for its sexual dimorphism. Up to date, no developmental biology and host plant list have been recorded for H. bakeri. Here, we report its life history, conduct surveys, and present potential host plant species. Biological characteristics of H. bakeri reared on Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir. shoots were observed in the laboratory at 27 ± 1 °C, 59 to 73% RH, and L12:D12. Five nymphal stages were recorded. Egg incubation period was 7.49 ± 0.43 days, and the duration of each of the five developmental stages was 3.11 ± 0.53, 1.51 ± 0.37, 2.07 ± 0.11, 4.40 ± 0.32 and 4.45 ± 0.17 days, respectively. Adult longevity was not significantly different between both sexes. We also provided morphological descriptions and measurements of the immature stages to aid proper nymphal identification of H. bakeri . No choice tests and field observations revealed four potential host plants, i.e., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R King & H Robinson, Cucumis sativus L., Hibiscus rosasinensis L., and Psidium guajava L., and two plants, i.e., Polyscias scutellaria (Burm. f.) Fosb. and Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir with confirmed host association. The information gathered on the life history, and host plant associations of H. bakeri would help decide the appropriate pest management strategy for controlling the population of this insect pest in the country's cacao-growing areas.
Cacao is a promising high-value crop in the Philippines and is considered one of the key players ... more Cacao is a promising high-value crop in the Philippines and is considered one of the key players globally in providing the raw materials for chocolate making. However, before the Philippines can take this market opportunity, production constraints from various pests should be addressed. The cacao pod borer (CPB), Conopomorpha cramerella, is one of the major insect pests of cacao in the Philippines, which can cause up to 50% annual loss or even higher if proper management is not employed. Management of CPB heavily relies on chemical control but is becoming unpopular because of its high cost and health risk to people and the environment. A number of efforts have been made to develop sex pheromones to monitor and control CPB. A field bioassay of the new blend of CPB sex pheromones was conducted in southern Philippines to determine its efficiency and identify the appropriate trap height placement in a cacao field, which is important in maximizing the efficiency of the sex pheromone trap...
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycemia r... more Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycemia resulting from impaired glycemic control. Management of hyperglycemia in cases of diabetes mellitus commonly involves insulin therapy or oral pharmacological therapy. Oral hypoglycemic agents are usually more favored by patients over invasive administration of exogenous insulin. Metformin is among the most commonly prescribed hypoglycemic drugs for non-insulin dependent forms of DM. However, this drug is not yet recommended by majority of health authorities for pregnancy-related diabetes. This is due to the insufficiency of evidence pertaining to effects on embryonic development, as metformin is known to cross the placenta. Hence, the current study focused on assessing the teratogenic potential of the drug. An in ovo experiment using the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) embryo as a model was conducted to determine the effects of metformin on embryonic mortality, morphometrics, and pre-hatching a...
Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines.... more Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines. It is one of the four Helopeltis species endemic to the Philippines, easily recognizable for its sexual dimorphism. Up to date, no developmental biology and host plant list have been recorded for H. bakeri. Here, we report its life history, conduct surveys, and present potential host plant species. Biological characteristics of H. bakeri reared on Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir. shoots were observed in the laboratory at 27 ± 1 °C, 59 to 73% RH, and L12:D12. Five nymphal stages were recorded. Egg incubation period was 7.49 ± 0.43 days, and the duration of each of the five developmental stages was 3.11 ± 0.53, 1.51 ± 0.37, 2.07 ± 0.11, 4.40 ± 0.32 and 4.45 ± 0.17 days, respectively. Adult longevity was not significantly different between both sexes. We also provided morphological descriptions and measurements of the immature stages to aid proper nymphal identification of H. bakeri . No choice tests and field observations revealed four potential host plants, i.e., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R King & H Robinson, Cucumis sativus L., Hibiscus rosasinensis L., and Psidium guajava L., and two plants, i.e., Polyscias scutellaria (Burm. f.) Fosb. and Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir with confirmed host association. The information gathered on the life history, and host plant associations of H. bakeri would help decide the appropriate pest management strategy for controlling the population of this insect pest in the country's cacao-growing areas.
The invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, devastated coconut plantations and s... more The invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, devastated coconut plantations and stands in Southern Luzon, Philippines from 2010 to 2014. This outbreak severely impaired production in the coconut-producing areas, and led to the declaration of a state of national emergency in the mid-2014. During the peak of the pest outbreak and earlier during April of the same year, a tiny parasitoid wasp was discovered and was subsequently identified as belonging to the encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard. It was found that this encyrtid not only was a primary endoparasitoid of A. rigidus and the first native record of the genus in the Philippines, but also represents a new species due to a number of morphological features that distinguish it from other Comperiella spp. The parasitoid was later named C. calauanica after Calauan, Laguna, its type-locality. Initial field observations suggested the potential of C. calauanica as a candidate biological control agent against A. rigidus. It then became imperative that baseline information on the proper taxonomic identity, biology and ecology, and prospects for mass rearing be established in view of augmentation and conservation of C. calauanica as a biological control agent for integrated pest management. In this project, a taxonomic study which involved a very detailed morphological and morphometric examination of C. caluanica was carried out. A number of morphological and morphometric characters were found to be very different from those of other Comperiella spp., sufficient to warrant the identification of C. calauanica as a completely new species. C. caluanica is the first native Comperiella species in the Philippines and only the eleventh species described under this genus since it was established in 1906. The series of field and laboratory studies conducted herein also revealed important insights and baselines on the biology and ecology of C. calauanica and its host, A. rigidus, in the Philippines. The parasitoid\u27s holometabolous development completed in about 21 to 22 days. A facultative thelytokous parthenogenetic mode of reproduction was confirmed. Likewise, its behavior and association with another insect species apart from its diaspidid host were examined and described. The reportedly high degree of field parasitization of A. rigidus by C. calauanica was also validated across three periods, with average percent parasitization values ranging from 44.9 to 92.4% in August 2014, 57 to 92.6% in December 2014 to January 2015, and up to 96.5% in June 2015. Host density-dependent parasitism, a hallmark of an effective biological control agent, was likewise found. These findings on the parasitism of C. calauanica on A rigidus were coincident with the recovery of coconut palms in the sampling points and areas that did not receive any emergency treatment including systemic pesticide application, suggesting the putative role of the parasitoid in the observed decline in the abundance of A. rigidus in Southern Luzon. Establishment of A. rigidus was found to be highest in a differential host plant, Garcinia mangostana L., and more satisfactory on butternut squash as compared to the native variety as substrate for indoor mass rearing. Both the seedlings of G. mangostana and squash fruits were found to be able to sustain at least two generations of A rigidus. The important baselines derived from the laboratory and field studies were subsequently used as basis to develop a mass rearing protocol for A. rigidus and C. calauanica for conservation and augmentation in areas of future pest invasion
Predictive species distribution modeling has been used in the investigation of complex relationsh... more Predictive species distribution modeling has been used in the investigation of complex relationships between biodiversity and environmental covariates, insights from which can possibly lead to a more scientific approach to informed conservation management and planning in the midst of climate change. The discovery of Comperiella calauanica Barrion, Almarinez & Amalin, a native encyrtid parasitoid confirmed to be the major natural enemy of the invasive diaspidid, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, has pointed to the promise of biological control in sustainable management of populations of this particular pest of coconut palms. In view of the conservation of C. calauanica for biological control, the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach was employed in this study to generate a bioclimate-based species distribution model (SDM) from presence-only data recorded from field surveys conducted in select points in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna, in Bataan, and in Basilan with confirmed occurrence not only of ...
ABSTRACT The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, w... more ABSTRACT The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, where there is currently an outbreak of the coconut scale insect Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne particularly in the southern parts of the island of Luzon and in some areas in Mindanao. Among Comperiella species, only C. unifasciata Ishii has been reported as a parasitoid of A. rigidus. We report not only new sightings of this parasitoid genus in the Philippines from surveys conducted in parts of the provinces of Laguna and Batangas, but also the discovery of a possibly new species that, like C. unifasciata, has been found to parasitize A. rigidus at a high rate. These findings have presented a potential of biological control against the coconut scale insect problem that has threatened the coconut industry in the country.
Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines.... more Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines. It is one of the four Helopeltis species endemic to the Philippines, easily recognizable for its sexual dimorphism. Up to date, no developmental biology and host plant list have been recorded for H. bakeri. Here, we report its life history, conduct surveys, and present potential host plant species. Biological characteristics of H. bakeri reared on Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir. shoots were observed in the laboratory at 27 ± 1 °C, 59 to 73% RH, and L12:D12. Five nymphal stages were recorded. Egg incubation period was 7.49 ± 0.43 days, and the duration of each of the five developmental stages was 3.11 ± 0.53, 1.51 ± 0.37, 2.07 ± 0.11, 4.40 ± 0.32 and 4.45 ± 0.17 days, respectively. Adult longevity was not significantly different between both sexes. We also provided morphological descriptions and measurements of the immature stages to aid proper nymphal identification of H. bakeri . No choice tests and field observations revealed four potential host plants, i.e., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R King & H Robinson, Cucumis sativus L., Hibiscus rosasinensis L., and Psidium guajava L., and two plants, i.e., Polyscias scutellaria (Burm. f.) Fosb. and Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir with confirmed host association. The information gathered on the life history, and host plant associations of H. bakeri would help decide the appropriate pest management strategy for controlling the population of this insect pest in the country's cacao-growing areas.
Cacao is a promising high-value crop in the Philippines and is considered one of the key players ... more Cacao is a promising high-value crop in the Philippines and is considered one of the key players globally in providing the raw materials for chocolate making. However, before the Philippines can take this market opportunity, production constraints from various pests should be addressed. The cacao pod borer (CPB), Conopomorpha cramerella, is one of the major insect pests of cacao in the Philippines, which can cause up to 50% annual loss or even higher if proper management is not employed. Management of CPB heavily relies on chemical control but is becoming unpopular because of its high cost and health risk to people and the environment. A number of efforts have been made to develop sex pheromones to monitor and control CPB. A field bioassay of the new blend of CPB sex pheromones was conducted in southern Philippines to determine its efficiency and identify the appropriate trap height placement in a cacao field, which is important in maximizing the efficiency of the sex pheromone trap...
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycemia r... more Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by sustained hyperglycemia resulting from impaired glycemic control. Management of hyperglycemia in cases of diabetes mellitus commonly involves insulin therapy or oral pharmacological therapy. Oral hypoglycemic agents are usually more favored by patients over invasive administration of exogenous insulin. Metformin is among the most commonly prescribed hypoglycemic drugs for non-insulin dependent forms of DM. However, this drug is not yet recommended by majority of health authorities for pregnancy-related diabetes. This is due to the insufficiency of evidence pertaining to effects on embryonic development, as metformin is known to cross the placenta. Hence, the current study focused on assessing the teratogenic potential of the drug. An in ovo experiment using the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) embryo as a model was conducted to determine the effects of metformin on embryonic mortality, morphometrics, and pre-hatching a...
Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines.... more Helopeltis bakeri Poppius is a major insect pest of cacao, Theobroma cacao L. in the Philippines. It is one of the four Helopeltis species endemic to the Philippines, easily recognizable for its sexual dimorphism. Up to date, no developmental biology and host plant list have been recorded for H. bakeri. Here, we report its life history, conduct surveys, and present potential host plant species. Biological characteristics of H. bakeri reared on Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir. shoots were observed in the laboratory at 27 ± 1 °C, 59 to 73% RH, and L12:D12. Five nymphal stages were recorded. Egg incubation period was 7.49 ± 0.43 days, and the duration of each of the five developmental stages was 3.11 ± 0.53, 1.51 ± 0.37, 2.07 ± 0.11, 4.40 ± 0.32 and 4.45 ± 0.17 days, respectively. Adult longevity was not significantly different between both sexes. We also provided morphological descriptions and measurements of the immature stages to aid proper nymphal identification of H. bakeri . No choice tests and field observations revealed four potential host plants, i.e., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R King & H Robinson, Cucumis sativus L., Hibiscus rosasinensis L., and Psidium guajava L., and two plants, i.e., Polyscias scutellaria (Burm. f.) Fosb. and Ipomea batatas (L.) Poir with confirmed host association. The information gathered on the life history, and host plant associations of H. bakeri would help decide the appropriate pest management strategy for controlling the population of this insect pest in the country's cacao-growing areas.
The invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, devastated coconut plantations and s... more The invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, devastated coconut plantations and stands in Southern Luzon, Philippines from 2010 to 2014. This outbreak severely impaired production in the coconut-producing areas, and led to the declaration of a state of national emergency in the mid-2014. During the peak of the pest outbreak and earlier during April of the same year, a tiny parasitoid wasp was discovered and was subsequently identified as belonging to the encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard. It was found that this encyrtid not only was a primary endoparasitoid of A. rigidus and the first native record of the genus in the Philippines, but also represents a new species due to a number of morphological features that distinguish it from other Comperiella spp. The parasitoid was later named C. calauanica after Calauan, Laguna, its type-locality. Initial field observations suggested the potential of C. calauanica as a candidate biological control agent against A. rigidus. It then became imperative that baseline information on the proper taxonomic identity, biology and ecology, and prospects for mass rearing be established in view of augmentation and conservation of C. calauanica as a biological control agent for integrated pest management. In this project, a taxonomic study which involved a very detailed morphological and morphometric examination of C. caluanica was carried out. A number of morphological and morphometric characters were found to be very different from those of other Comperiella spp., sufficient to warrant the identification of C. calauanica as a completely new species. C. caluanica is the first native Comperiella species in the Philippines and only the eleventh species described under this genus since it was established in 1906. The series of field and laboratory studies conducted herein also revealed important insights and baselines on the biology and ecology of C. calauanica and its host, A. rigidus, in the Philippines. The parasitoid\u27s holometabolous development completed in about 21 to 22 days. A facultative thelytokous parthenogenetic mode of reproduction was confirmed. Likewise, its behavior and association with another insect species apart from its diaspidid host were examined and described. The reportedly high degree of field parasitization of A. rigidus by C. calauanica was also validated across three periods, with average percent parasitization values ranging from 44.9 to 92.4% in August 2014, 57 to 92.6% in December 2014 to January 2015, and up to 96.5% in June 2015. Host density-dependent parasitism, a hallmark of an effective biological control agent, was likewise found. These findings on the parasitism of C. calauanica on A rigidus were coincident with the recovery of coconut palms in the sampling points and areas that did not receive any emergency treatment including systemic pesticide application, suggesting the putative role of the parasitoid in the observed decline in the abundance of A. rigidus in Southern Luzon. Establishment of A. rigidus was found to be highest in a differential host plant, Garcinia mangostana L., and more satisfactory on butternut squash as compared to the native variety as substrate for indoor mass rearing. Both the seedlings of G. mangostana and squash fruits were found to be able to sustain at least two generations of A rigidus. The important baselines derived from the laboratory and field studies were subsequently used as basis to develop a mass rearing protocol for A. rigidus and C. calauanica for conservation and augmentation in areas of future pest invasion
Predictive species distribution modeling has been used in the investigation of complex relationsh... more Predictive species distribution modeling has been used in the investigation of complex relationships between biodiversity and environmental covariates, insights from which can possibly lead to a more scientific approach to informed conservation management and planning in the midst of climate change. The discovery of Comperiella calauanica Barrion, Almarinez & Amalin, a native encyrtid parasitoid confirmed to be the major natural enemy of the invasive diaspidid, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, has pointed to the promise of biological control in sustainable management of populations of this particular pest of coconut palms. In view of the conservation of C. calauanica for biological control, the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach was employed in this study to generate a bioclimate-based species distribution model (SDM) from presence-only data recorded from field surveys conducted in select points in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna, in Bataan, and in Basilan with confirmed occurrence not only of ...
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