On December 27th, the Department of Science and Technology held an advisory Council meeting for acceptance assessment of "Research project on application of probiotics to prevent harmful nematodes on bitter melons and eggplants in BR-VT". MSc. Chu Trung Kien was the project leader and the Institute of Agricultural Science for Southern Vietnam was assigned to carry out this project. Mr. Vuong Quang Can - Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology chaired the advisory Council.

The project aimed at effectively preventing harmful nematodes on bitter melons and eggplants by using probiotics, thus contributing to the development of safe vegetable production in BR-VT towards organic farming.

In Tan Thanh District, Xuyen Moc district and Ba Ria city, bitter melons and eggplants are the major vegetables which are account for two-thirds of total farming area per year. Bitter melons are grown all years around with two to three cycles per year in all these places while eggplants are planted mainly in the rainy season in Xuyen Moc district.  Compared with other vegetables, bitter melons and eggplants have relatively long growing period (range from three to four months for bitter melons and five to six months for eggplants), thus face higher risk of yield losses due to nematodes than other fast growing vegetables

After two year of implementation, the project has created some promising results. The research group identified and investigated production areas of bitter melon and eggplant in BR-VT being affected by nematodes, number of nematode species, and their biological characteristics as well as effects of applying probiotics. The finding showed that using probiotics Zianum 1.00WP with an amount of 30kg per ha per cycle was more effective in controlling harmful nematodes on bitter melons and eggplants than using Tervigo 20SC (5liters/ha/cycle). Also, applying probiotics Zianum 1.00WP at 60kg/ha/cycle to prevent nematodes increased productivity of these vegetables by over 15% and improved income for farmers by above VND 25 million/ha/cycle compared to not applying this prevention method. In particular, the research group developed two procedures for application of probiotics to prevent harmful nematodes on bitter melons and eggplants. Two training courses and seminars were organized to deliver these two procedures along with procedure documents to 120 participants.

The advisory Council highly evaluated the practical significance of the project, agreed to accept and graded it as Good level. However, the project leader must modify and supplement some contents as suggested by the Council.