Dr. Roberto E. Coronel is recognized for his contributions in the field of Horticulture. He never dreamt of a career in agriculture, but today, research professor Roberto E. Coronel has fruitful life discovering little known plants endemic to the Philippines and propagating them. The fruit-and-nut expert at the Institute of Plant Breeding in UP Los Baños, has in fact been dubbed “the Sherlock Holmes of Plants” by newspaperman-turned-farmer Jose Burgos, for his work in tracking down obscure plants that are all but lost to more popular varieties. He thought of taking up commerce, recalls this Bulacan, Bulacan native, until an uncle dissuaded him. The uncle had attended workshops and seminars At UP Los Baños during the summer and found the environment agreeable. “He thought this was were I should be,” says Coronel. Shifting to agriculture sealed his fate. It led to a teaching stint at UP and a lifelong passion for conserving and developing native fruit species which has earned him accolades here and abroad. Coronel’s book, “Edible Fruits and Nuts,” published in the Netherlands, has been translated not only in Filipino but also in other languages, including Bahasa Indonesia and Vietnamese. “It is the most complete reference on tropical fruits in Asia,” he says matter-of-factly. The Rome-based International Plant Genetic Institute has, in turn, commissioned Coronel to write a monograph on the promotion and rise of the underdeveloped pili nut. The Katutubo (meaning, native), he says, is the first pili variety registered in the Philippines. “Until now, it has not been surpassed in terms of productivity and nut size. ”The mother plant which produced Katutubo was among the pili nuts from Oas, Albay, planted in the 1920s along the present-day Pili Drive in UP Los Baños.

Sex: Male

Education:

• University of the Philippines, College, Laguna, B. S. A. (Agronomy), 1960
• University of Hawaii, USA, M. S. (Horticulture), 1965
• University of California, USA, Ph. D. (Horticulture), 1971

Field of Specialization:

Horticulture

Researches:

R. V. Cuyno, (1962) Pagpapapkapit (Inarching) - ang madaling pagpaparami ng mga bungang-kahoy
Farm and Home Development Office Leaflet

R. V. Cuyno, (1962) Pagpapaugat ng bungang kahoy
Farm and Home Development Office Leaflet

R. V. Valmayor, (1963) How to propagate fruit plants
University of the Philippines (Farm Bulletin No. 8)

Ramon V. Valmayor, D. A. Ramirez, (Jan. - Feb. 1965) Studies on floral biology, fruit set and fruit development in durian (Durio zibethinus, Murr.)
Philippine Agriculturist Volume v. 48, No. nos. 8-9

(August 1966) An easy way to propagate rimas
Philippine Farms and Garden Volume v. 3, No. no. 8

(Dec. 1966) Let's save our dying pili industry
Philippine Farms and Gardens Volume v. 3, No. no. 12

(July - Sept. 1966) Methods of emasculation and pollination of durian flowers
Agriculture at Los Banos Volume v. 6, No. no. 1

(April - June 1966) That chico called ponderosa
Agriculture at Los Banos Volume v. 5, No. no. 4

() Effects of nutrient deficiencies of nitrogen, potassium and manganese on the critical phosporus concentration in rice
Philippine Agriculturist

L. O. Bondoc, N. Dacanay, () The influence of branch size on the propagation of pili by marcotting
Philippine Agriculturist

S. Manlisis, () Iron chlorosis in seedlings of fruit trees
Agriculture at Los Banos

(1972) Some cultural practices for mango
Agriculture at Los Banos Volume v. 11, No. no. 10