Written by the Web Team
With over 400 participating researchers, Gina D. Balleras, an entomologist based at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Midsayap, won the 2013 Outstanding IAMURE Filipino Researcher award in the World Research Festival (WRF) held at Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City on May 1-3. 
The WRF 2013 gives due recognition to “great achievements of individuals and institutions in the production, promotion, utilization and commercialization of research.”
WRF 2013 was conducted by IAMURE and the Philippine Association of Institutions for Research. IAMURE is the International Association of Multidisciplinary Research.
Balleras presented her work titled Combined Effects of Crop Establishment and Harvest Methods on the Rice Stem Borers (RSB) and Its Natural Enemies Population. She competed in the ecology division and bested 38 other researchers.
She found that transplanting method at recommended seeding density, and cutting the stubbles closer to the ground would minimize RSB population in the succeeding cropping season. She also evaluated the cost-effective combination of crop establishment and harvest methods in mitigating RSB damage that favors effective natural enemies’ population.
Her results show that RSB population is positively correlated to the effective predators and parasitoids population in transplanted fields. She also discovered that RSB population during fallow period was high in drier paddies with 27 to 32 cm standing stubbles.
Balleras also won the diamond awards, first place, for best in powerpoint presentation; best in oral presentation and best in talent; and platinum award, second place, for best dressed researcher.
IAMURE Multidisciplinary Research is an international organization of research institutions and researchers in over 40 countries. The organization also provides a world platform for researchers, and give recognition to outstanding achievements.
Participating researchers in the conference could publish their works in IAMURE journals that are indexed by international agencies such as Thomson Reuters Journal Masterlist Zoological Record; Public Knowledge Project, a consortium of Simon Fraser University Library, the School of Education of Stanford University, and the British Columbia University, Canada; E-International Scientific Research Journal Consortium; Philippine E-Journals; and Google Scholar.
