University President Edgar A. Orden, received a two-volume book reference on weed science titled “Weed Science and Weed Management in Rice and Cereal-Based Cropping Systems” from former PhilRice Director and Department of Agriculture Consultant Dr. Santiago R. Obien.

Dr. Obien shared that the book was donated by the authors – Dr. Aurora M. Baltazar, Adjunct Professor at the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Banos, and Dr. Surajit K. De Datta, Adjunct Senior Faculty and Professor Emeritus at the Virginia Tech, to the University as part of their commitment to facilitate sharing of knowledge rooted from their experiences as scientists in their field.

Weed management practices, according to Dr. Robert S. Zeigler, Director General Emeritus at the International Rice Research Institute, will have to be approached with new perspectives but must be solidly based on past rich experiences. As such, Dr. Zeigler believed that the authors have put together an impressive summary of the current state of science that should serve as a foundational text for weed scientists interested not only in rice, but also in tropical agriculture.

The book was developed over many years of collaboration in research and publication writing of the authors. “We hope this book will serve as a textbook for students pursuing study in weed science, agronomy, and cereal-based cropping systems,” they expressed.

With its comprehensive list of references, the book will surely serve as a useful information source for agricultural researchers, locally and globally. It is now available at the University Library for borrowing by faculty, staff, and students.