Solo Mercene

Home Institution: Regional Crop Protection Center - MIMAROPA

Host Institution: Michigan State University

Award Name: Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program (FPASP)

Discipline: Entomology

Award Year: 2023

Solo is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Entomology in 2018. Since 2019, he has been affiliated with the Regional Crop Protection Center - MIMAROPA, where he has been actively involved in the management of insect pests in agricultural crops such as rice, corn, vegetables, and fruit trees, among others. Through lectures and seminars sponsored by the Regional Field Office, Agricultural Training Institute, and the Provincial and Municipal Agriculture Offices in his region, Solo has been instrumental in promoting integrated pest management to over 300 farmers.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Solo will embark on a two-year academic journey at the Michigan State University Department of Entomology, under the supervision of Dr. David Mota-Sanchez and Dr. Erich Grotewold. During his stay, Solo will delve into the study of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which is currently posing a significant threat to the corn industry in the Philippines. Upon completion of his program, Solo intends to utilize his newly acquired knowledge to devise more comprehensive, science-based, and practical pest management strategies to aid Filipino farmers in mitigating this detrimental impact.