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COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA

LAND GRANT PROGRAM
Contact us: (691) 3202462/2728
P.O Box 1179 Kolonia,Pohnpei FM 96941
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
  • COLLEGE OF MICRONESIA LAND GRANT PROGRAM
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Kosrae Research

Assessment of salt tolerance in taro and sweet potato: in vitro selection, greenhouse and field evaluation

July 14, 2013

KOSRAE, FSM. Dr. Virendra M. Verma, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station. 

Salinity, an abiotic stress that combines elements of water deficiency and sodium toxicity is among the most serious and widespread of agricultural problems on islands resulting in lost crop yield and arable land. Therefore, the efforts to develop salt-tolerant plants are of immense importance to increase crop productivity. In recent years, tissue culture based in vitro selection has emerged as a feasible and cost-effective tool for developing salt tolerant plants. Sweet potato and taro are most important staple food crops in the Pacific Region for local consumption as well as for export. These crops contribute significantly to the socio-economics and provide livelihood to almost all island people and thus are crucial for ensuring nutritional and economic security. Both sweet potato and taro are placed on high agricultural priority but limitations in availability of salt tolerant germplasm, and disease-free and elite seedlings, is a major bottleneck in production. Therefore, the study is being undertaken for assessment of salt tolerance in taro and sweet potato through in vitro selection, followed by greenhouse and field evaluation. To establish aseptic cultures for collected germplasm of taro and sweet potato, various experiments were performed. Different concentrations of sodium chloride were used for in vitro selection of salt tolerant germplasm. This in vitro selected germplasm was further evaluated for salt tolerance in the greenhouse and finally was field evaluated at various sites in four replications. Some varieties of taro and sweet potato performed very well at coastal sites. Results based on various physiological and morphological parameters collected during the research.

Tissue culture sweet potato.
Tissue culture sweet potato.
Tissue culture taro.
Tissue culture taro.

 

 

Filed Under: Kosrae Research, News from land grants Tagged With: Kosrae, sweet potato, taro, tissue culture

Assessment of in vivo and in vitro grafting for rapid production of elite grafted lime seedlings

July 8, 2013

KOSRAE, FSM. Dr. Virendra M. Verma, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station.

Dr. Verma, Project Director of grafting project procured budwood of Mexican lime from the Citrus Clonal Protection Program, University of California and the United States Department of Agriculture National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates. Procured Mexican lime budwood was grafted on sour orange rootstock. For subsequent growth grafted plants were kept in the greenhouse. Seeds of sour orange were surface sterilized with commercial sodium hypochlorite bleach and in vitro aseptic cultures of sour orange were established for rootstock production. Murashige and Skoog, 1962 (MS) medium augmented with different concentrations of 6-furfurylaminopurine, 6-benzylaminopurine and indole-3-acetic acid was used for initiation and establishment of sour orange rootstock cultures. Nodal explants of Mexican lime were surface sterilized with commercial sodium hypochlorite bleach and lateral shoot buds were used for in vitro grafting experiments. Subsequent passages were given every four weeks on MS medium augmented with different concentrations of 6-furfurylaminopurine, 6-benzylaminopurine and indole-3-acetic acid for further growth. Data for in vivo and in vitro grafting experiments were recorded every week.

Lime is a valuable crop.
Lime is a valuable crop.

Both in vivo and in vitro grafting experiments showed positive results and sour orange rootstock accepted Mexican lime and Mexican lime thorn-less budwood. In vivo grafting experiments were performed during summer with 40% success rate for Mexican lime thorn-less budwood on sour orange rootstock while 10% success rate for Mexican lime budwood on same rootstock. In vivo grafted plants showed sprouting in the new bud during spring. In vitro grafting experiments were performed with 48% success rate for Mexican lime thorn-less budwood on sour orange rootstock. Participants skills and knowledge about in vitro and in vivo grafting techniques have been increased through collection and review of related literature; experimentation on in vitro and in vivo grafting; establishment of cultures; development of in vitro and in vivo grafting protocols; and production of elite grafted lime seedlings. The project has developed positive attitudes, zeal for learning techniques and has changed the behavior of the participants. Based on the data analysis of research carried out through this project, another project on mass-production of elite grafted citrus seedlings will be initiated.

Filed Under: Kosrae Research, News from land grants Tagged With: grafting, Kosrae, lime

Extensive publications, education and outreach

July 8, 2013

KOSRAE, FSM. Dr. Virendra M. Verma, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station.

Dr. Verma, Project Coordinator of Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) project on on-farm implementation and demonstration of integrated sustainable agriculture and livestock production systems for small-scale farmers, developed seven multi-colored cultivation guides on banana, soft taro, sweet potato, eggplant, papaya, composting and swine diet and distributed to workshop participants and other interested people. Dr. Verma also developed a high definition digital video for extension, education and outreach on tissue culture multiplication, acclimatization, banana cultivation, soft taro cultivation, sweet potato cultivation, papaya cultivation, eggplant cultivation, fertilizer and compost application, harvesting, storing and composting. The copies of the video in HD-DVDs format are being delivered to telecommunication companies to telecast in Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Marshall Islands on local cable channels to educate wider island communities.

New publications for local growers.
New publications for local growers.

 

Filed Under: Kosrae Research, News from land grants Tagged With: Kosrae, publications

Integrated sustainable agriculture and livestock production workshops

July 8, 2013

KOSRAE, FSM. Dr. Virendra M. Verma, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station.

Dr. Verma, Project Coordinator of Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) project on on-farm implementation and demonstration of integrated sustainable agriculture and livestock production systems for small-scale farmers, organized two one-week workshops for participants. Eighty-one participants including agriculture college students, agriculture high school students, farmers and women attended the workshops. Extensive PowerPoint presentations and hands-on activities were organized to make participants acquainted with tissue culture multiplication, acclimatization, banana cultivation, soft taro cultivation, sweet potato cultivation, diseases and nutrient deficiency symptoms and control, insect and pest control, fertilizer and compost application, harvesting, storing and composting. Seven multi-colored cultivation guides on banana, soft taro, sweet potato, eggplant, papaya, composting and swine diet were prepared and distributed to participants.

Workshop participants.
Workshop participants.

Filed Under: Kosrae Research, News from land grants Tagged With: agriculture, Kosrae, livestock, sustainable

Ecologically integrated and well managed hot composting system for recycling of organic matter

July 8, 2013

KOSRAE, FSM. Dr. Virendra M. Verma, Researcher/Extension Specialist, Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station.

Organic matters such as crop residues and animal manure were used for composting. Solid swine manure was separated from the piggery effluent by using a rundown screen and sun dried for two weeks. Dried solid manure was shredded along with the dried organic materials such as crop residues, and was used as brown material (carbon rich) for composting. All fresh and green organic materials were shredded while still fresh and were used as green material (nitrogen rich) for composting. Hot composting technique was implemented to convert the nutrient-rich crop residues and swine manure into valuable compost at the Kosrae Agricultural Experiment Station. A six inch layer at the bottom of the compost pile was filled with coconut husk for better air circulation. Green and brown materials were layered alternately and on each layer a half inch thick layer of finished compost, and fresh and healthy soil from the forest was added as an activator. Aerobic process was used for decomposition of organic matters. High microbial activities generated heat that was regulated and maintained within the required range of 140-158oF in the composting pile by appropriate air circulation and proper moisture maintenance during heating phase. The pile was turned once in a week and treated effluent from the piggery was sprayed to control and maintain appropriate temperature and moisture, respectively. The heating phase gradually changed into a cooling phase and decomposition occurred without much generation of heat, and temperature dropped slowly up to 86oF. At the end of decomposition, during the maturation phase, the temperature dropped 68-77oF and resulted in finished compost. This ecologically integrated and well managed system composted the crop residues, manure and spilled feed in less than 3 months.

composting
Top left to clockwise: Shredded green material for composting, shredded brown material for composting, green and brown layers in compost pile, and finished compost ready to use.

Filed Under: Kosrae Research, News from land grants, Uncategorized Tagged With: compost, Kosrae

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