CLSU International Journal of Science & Technology

The Extent of Agricultural Land Cover Change: The Case of Bautista, Pangasinan

Jeffrey Dela Cruz — 2024-09-27

Urban Expansion in Bautista periodically alters its land cover, significantly diminishing agricultural land in favor of built-up areas. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of past and future land cover changes is essential for sustainable development. The main objective of this research is to determine the extent of agricultural land cover change and its spatial pattern from 2018 to 2022 and in the year 2027 in Bautista, Pangasinan. This study employed a descriptive research approach integrating time series data, spatial analysis, and simulation tools to evaluate the dynamic changes in agricultural land cover. The extent of agricultural land cover change decreased from 3,480.95 hectares in 2018 to 3,417.04 hectares in 2022, primarily near road networks and within the identified urban barangays of the municipality. The change exhibited a clustered distribution, as per the summary report from the Average Nearest Neighbor using the Geographic Information System. In contrast, built-up land cover change expanded by 60.68 hectares from 2018 to 2022, following an increasing trend. Furthermore, the projected agricultural land cover change is expected to decrease continuously from 3,417.039 hectares in 2022 to 3,406.875 hectares in 2027. The results indicate a conversion of agricultural land to built-up areas between 2018 and 2022 and a further decrease in 2027, reflecting a shift from agriculture to man-made structures. This research underscores the importance of monitoring land conversions and provides a basis for sustainable solutions to address the growing demand for urbanization without compromising the future extent of agricultural land cover in Bautista, Pangasinan.

Rapid Detection of Aeromonas hydrophila in Tilapia Samples Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Targeting the Aerolysin Gene

Arren de Guia — 2024-09-27

Aeromonas hydrophila is a notorious pathogen in tilapia aquaculture, often linked to fish kills due to its virulence gene, aerolysin. Economic losses globally underscore the urgency for effective disease diagnosis. While PCR is the gold standard, its complexity limits field use. Thus, this study aimed to develop a sensitive, specific, and field-friendly detection kit using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP). Bacterial isolates from 12 farms across Luzon were collected and tested. LAMP primers, validated through parallel PCR testing, showed 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The optimized incubation conditions (63°C for 1 hour) facilitated rapid and reliable detection. Notably, LAMP's simplicity and shorter processing time offer advantages over PCR, obviating the need for sophisticated equipment and highly skilled personnel. The developed protocol, with its high diagnostic reliability, holds promise for future surveillance of aerA gene-carrying A. hydrophila strains in aquaculture settings.

Design of Terrace-Based Hydroponic System using Hydraulic Ram Pump

Shemer Parami — 2024-10-14

The primary objective of the study is to design a terrace-based hydroponic system incorporating a hydraulic ram pump and to evaluate the effectiveness of the hydraulic ram pump in terms of drive head, flow rate, and delivery head, while also assessing its overall performance, particularly in terms of water loss percentage. The hydraulic ram pump can deliver a delivery head of 200 cm. To achieve this 200 cm delivery head, a drive head of 20 cm and a drive pipe length of 60 cm are necessary. The flow rate of the ram pump at the delivery pipe is 1.13 liters per minute. The water balance equation was employed to quantify water loss, considering parameters such as initial water volume in storage tanks, water collected in excess water collectors, and overall water losses during a system operation. The study's key findings reveal that during each 15-minute operational cycle, the terrace-based hydroponic system, incorporating a hydraulic ram pump, experienced an average water loss of 4.59 liters, equating to a 2.7% water loss percentage. This 2.7% loss could have a significant impact on sustainability if the system were to be upscaled.