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“Sweet potatto seed dispatching’ network in Vinh Long Province”
HATRI News – March 9 2020
Fig.1. Sweet potato workshop in March 5 2020 at Vinh Long (photo by Bien Anh Khoa)
According to the project with the title of “Sweet potatto seed multiplication’ network in Vinh Long Province” headed by Prof. Nguyễn Thị Lang, the workshop was carried out in Vinh Long Province, on March 5th, 2020 with the participation of 40 provincial officiers and partners. The workshop was co-chaired by Department of Science and Technology of Vinh Long province. Participants came from Crop Variety Centre - DART, Agro-Information centre, Agricultural Extension Service, Trade Promotion Centre, Technology Transfer Centre, Cuu Long University and Media Agencies. Beside that, outstanding farmers in Binh Tan district and from cooperative farms also participated the workshop actively.
The workshop mentioned how to establish an effective swet potato seed network in Vinh Long, especially at Binh Tan – a target pilot of sweet potato production in Mekong Delta.
The urgent needs addressed new sweet potato varieties with high-yielding and good quality to enrich the current germplasm, and extending more pilots to multiply sweet potato seeds as the local demand. The project has been developed so farto select new elite genotypes suitable tolocal conditions, with the emphasis on seed dispatches locally.
The project aims at multipying seeds sufficiently and healthy plants, enhancing productivity, and adapting market preferences.The project paid more attention to demonstrate seed production, training and technology transfer smoothly.
Current challenges can be cited as: (i) more serious pest damage with misuse plus overuse of insecticides; (ii) fertilizer management how to be better ecological system and to reduce production cost; (iii) crop rotation in rice-based system; (iv) consuming market.
To ensure sweet potato productivity and high quality; elite genotype with stable yield would be required with major pest and disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, high nutritional value, water saving and integrated crop management. Germplasm must be enriched and improved first.
Progressive partnership
HATRI has participated the sweet potato breeding program including seed dispatching according to the national standards. Of the elite varieties, Hưng Lộc and Tím Nhật genotypes were selected via pure lines already use by farmers and cooperatives. In 2017, two varieties adapted to current demand of export markets with suitable agronomical practices in Binh Tân, Vinh Long.
Technology transfer enhancing
Today, there are roughly 12,000 ha sweet potato in Vinh Long. Farmers rarely accessed healthy seeds. Accordingly, the quality varieties viz selected Tím Nhật and Hưng Lộcwere grown as compared to their wild types. Selected Hưng Lộc exhibited its yield stabilty via multi-locational trials. It obtained the highest starch (76.08%); the highest β-carotene; the lowest amylose content. Variety selected Khoai Tím Nhật obtained high fructose and sucrose.
The project conducted 20ha of seed multipication with 200 farmers receiving training and four TV shows for media communications.
Sweet potato germplasm conservation must be a key of breeding in Vinh Long. This is due to the cooperation between HATRI and provincial DST.
Fig. 2: Mr. Bùi Văn Ngọc, Vice Chair, Binh Tan District People Committee adrressed his speech (photo by Nguyễn Thị Lang)
