Dr. Nancy P. creencia is recognized for her important contributions in the field of  rice crop health and diseases of rice. She conducts field research on crop health in changing agricultural environments, crop loss assessment, disease management, and disease etiology. She does coordination and organization of knowledge on the biology and management of rice diseases. She ensures that research linkages with partners in national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) through technical backstopping, organization of trainings, preparation of training materials, maintenance of database on training materials. She also serves as a resource person on rice fungal diseases and crop health assessment.

Sex: Female

Education:

• University of Paris XI, Orsay, France, Ph.D. in Phytopathology, 1998
• University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, M.S. Biology major in Environmental Biology, 1990
• University of the Philippines at Los Banños, College, Laguna, B.S. Biology (Ecology), 1981

Field of Specialization:

Epidemiology (Rice diseases), Mycology (Rice diseases), Pest Integrated Management

Researches:

Willocquet, L., Elazegui, F.A.,Castilla, N.P., Fernandez, L., Fischer, K.S., Peng, S.B., Teng, P.S., R. K. Srivastava, R.K., Singh,H.M., Zhu, D., Savary, S., (2004) Research Priorities for Rice Pest Management in Tropical Asia: A Simulation Analysis of Yield Losses Management Efficiencies
Phytopathology Volume 94, No. 7

Savary, S., Castilla, N.P., Elazegui, F.A., Teng, P.S. , (2005) Multiple effects of two drivers of agricultural change, labour shortage and water scarcity, on rice pest profiles in tropical Asia
Field Crops Research Volume 91

Gimenez, C., Otto, R.F., Castilla, N.P., (2002) Productivity of leaf and root vegetable crops under direct cover
Scientia Horticulturae - SCI HORT-AMSTERDAM Volume 94, No. 1

Elazegui, F.A., Castilla, N.P., Dalisay, T.U., Mew, T.W. , (2004) Causal agent of red stripe disease of rice
Plant Disease Volume 88

Willocquet, L., Savary, S., Fernandez, L., Elazegui, F.A., Castilla, N., Zhu, D., Tang, Q., Huang, S., Singh, H.M., Srivastava, R.K. , (2002) Structure and validation of RICEPEST, a production situation-driven, crop growth model simulating rice yield response to multiple pest injuries for Tropical Asia
Ecological Modelling Volume 153

Cabunagan, R.C., Castilla, N.P., Coloquio, E.R., Tiongco, E.R., Truong, X.H., Fernandez, J., Du, M.J., Zaragosa, B., Hozak, R.R., Savary, S., Azzam, 0., (2001) Synchrony of planting and proportions of susceptible varieties affect rice tungro epidemics in the Philippines
Crop Protein Volume 20

Savary, S., Castilla, N.P., Willocquet, L., (2000) Analysis of the spatiotemporal structure of rice sheath blight epidemics in a farmer's field
Plant Pathology Volume 50

Savary, S., Willocquet, L., Elazegui, F.A., Castilla, N.P., Teng, P.S., (2000) Rice pest constraints in tropical Asia: Quantification of yield losses due to rice pests in a range of production situations
Plant Disease Volume 84

Castilla, N. P., Leaño, R. M., Elazegui, F. A., Teng, P. S., Savary, S., (1996) Effects of plant contact, inoculation pattern, leaf wetness regime, and nitrogen supply on inoculum efficiency in rice sheath blight
Journal of Phytopathology Volume 144

Castilla, N.P., Elazegui, F.A., Savary, S., (1995) Rice sheath blight: A case study on focal expansion in plant disease epidemiology
Philippine Agriculturist Volume 30

Savary, S., Castilla, N. P., Elazegui, F. A., McLaren, C.G., Ynalvez, M. A., Teng, P. S., (1995) Direct and indirect effects of nitrogen supply and disease source structure on rice sheath blight spread
Phytopathology Volume 85

Khan, Z.R., Barrion, A.T., Litsinger, J.A., Castilla, N.P., Joshi, R.C., (1988) A bibliography of rice leaffolders (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Insect Science and its Application Volume 9, No. 2

Mew, T. W., Castilla, N. P., Elazegui, F. A., and Vera Cruz, C. M. , (2001) The etiology of red stripe of rice: Current status and future directions
International Rice Research Notes Volume 26(1)

Mew, T.W., Castilla, N. P., Huelma, C., (2001) Current status and future needs for inoculum threshold of seed-borne pathogens, the basis for plant quarantine regulations
Seed Health Symposium, In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Seed Testing Association Plant Disease Committee, J.W. Sheppard, ed. The International Seed Testing Association, Zurich, Switzerland

Savary, S., Elazegui, F.A., Pinnschmidt, H.0., Castilla, N.P., Teng, P.S., (1997) A New Approach to Quantify Crop Losses due to Rice Pests in Varying Production Situations
IRRI Discussion Paper Series No. 20. International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines

Castilla, N.P., Elazegui, F.A., Savary, S., (1997) Method for the detection of the rice sheath blight pathogen in soil samples using mungbean
International Rice Research Notes Volume 22, No. 2

Castilla, N.P., Elazegui, F.A., Savary, S., (1995) Inoculum efficiency in rice sheath blight (ShB) as affected by contact frequency, leaf wetness regime, and nitrogen supply
International Rice Research Notes Volume 20, No. 1

Castilla, N.P., Elazegui, F.A., Leaño, R.M., Savary, S., (1993) A simple method to assess the relative amount of leaf wetness in rice canopies
International Rice Research Notes Volume 20(1)

Castilla, N. P., Ynalvez, M. A. McLaren, C. G. and Savary, S. , (1994) Path analysis of focus expansion in rice sheath blight
International Rice Research Notes Volume 19(4)

Castilla, N.P., Mabbayad, M.0., Barrion, A.T., Elazegui, F.A., Savary, S., (1993) Combined effects of pests in farmers' fields. Methodological outline of a yield-loss database in rice
Interntaional Rice Research Notes Volume 18, No. 3

Castilla, N.P., Khan, Z.R., (1991) Mating sequence of rice leaffolder (LF) Marasmia patnalis Bradley
International Rice Research Newsletter Volume 16, No. 6

Castilla, N.P., Savary, S., Tang, Q., Peng, S., Buresh, R.J., Mew, T.W., (2004) Pest and nutrient interactions in IPM
Rice Integrated Crop Management: Towards a Rice Check System in the Philippines. E. D. Redoña, A.P. Castro, A.P., G. P. Llanto, G.P., eds. Philippine Rice Research Institute, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Castilla, N.P., Savary, S., (2003) Interaction of nutrients with rice diseases and insect pests: Existing knowledge and research directions
Rice Science: Innovations and Impact for Livelihood, In: Proceedings of the International Rice Research Conference. T.W. Mew, D.S. Brar, D. Dawe and B. Hardy, eds. International Rice Research Institute, Metro Manila, Philippines

Singh, H.M.R.K., Rizvi, S.M.A., Elazegui, F.A., Castilla, N.P., Savary, S., (2003) Yield reduction due to brown spot and leaf folder injuries at varying levels of fertilizers and water supply to rice crop
Ann. Plant Prot. Sci. Volume 11, No. 1

Tang, Q. Y., Peng, S. B., Buresh, R. J., Zou, Y. B. Castilla, N. P., Mew, T. W., Zhong, X. H., (2007) Rice varietal difference in sheath blight development and its association with yield loss at different levels of N fertilization
Field Crops Research Volume 102, No. 3

Cabunagan, R.C., Castilla, N., Azzam, O., (2001) Analysis of factors affecting the occurrence of rice tungro epidemics in the Philippines and implications to disease management
Journal of Tropical Plant Pathology Volume 37, No. 1

Papers Presented:

• Plant Canopy Architecture and Disease Development in Tropical Rice Pathosystems, 8th International Congress of Plant Pathology, Christchurch, New Zealand
• Disease by Nutrient Interactions, Planning Workshop on Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management in Intensive Irrigated Rice Ecosystems, International Rice Research Institute
• Interaction of Nutrients with Rice Diseases and Insect Pests: Existing Knowledge and Research Directions, International Rice Congress, Beijing China
• Epidemiology of Blast in Rice Cultivar Mixture Planting: Some Issues for Research , Workshop on Rice Blast in China, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
• Epidemiology of Blast in Rice Cultivar Mixture Planting: Some Issues for Research , Impact Symposium on Exploiting Biodiversity for Sustainable Rice Blast Management, Sichuan, China
• Effect of Spatial Pattern of Initial Infections on the Epidemics of Rice Sheath Blight Caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kohn, 3rd International Symposium on Rhizoctonia, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
• Epidemiology of Rice Sheath Blight Caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kohn under Tropical Conditions, 3rd International Symposium on Rhizoctonia, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
• Rice Sheath Blight: A Case Study on Focal Expansion in Plant Disease Epidemiology, 25th Anniversary and Annual Scientific Meeting, Pest Management Council of the Philippines, Inc., Pryce Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
• Isolation and Characterization of the Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria Associated with the Roots of Pipturus arborescens (Link) C. B. Robb and Morinda citrifolia L., 10th G. O. Ocfemia Memorial Lecture and Annual Scientific Meeting, Philippine Society of Microbiology, Inc. University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna
• Current Status and Future needs for Inoculum Threshold of Seed-borne Pathogens- The basis for Plant Quarantine Regulations, International Seed Testing Association-Plant Disease Committee Symposiun, Iowa State University, USA
• Current Status and Future Needs for Inoculum Threshold of Seed-borne Pathogens-The Basis for Plant Quarantine Regulations, International Seed Testing Association -Plant Disease Committee Symposium, Iowa State University , USA