Post by Trade facilitator on May 21, 2018 19:43:55 GMT 1
Specialists in food production and agriculture, recently converged on Ibadan, Oyo State capital, to offer alternative means of producing high quality and disease free yam seeds, with a view to improving on quality of yam being grown and eaten in the country.
The occasion was a workshop entitled 'Yam Seed Production in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (YAM SITIBs)' organised by the a group of researchers.
Sponsors of the programme include United States of Agency for International Development (USAID), Pennsylvania State University, US and National Academy of Sciences.
A Geneticist and Principal Investigator of the project, said essence of the workshop was to reveal how new technology would rapidly produce seed yam to farmers.
"This new technology would be able to produce 2,000 plants from one plant within the same period of time. Essentially, we are developing the technology to rapidly produce seed yam, which normally would have produced maximum of six plants in one year."he said.
According to him, the quality of yam production would be high, because the yam was grown inside a laboratory where there are no pests and diseases.
He said the rate of production, was not dependent on weather, adding that it was in a controlled environment where it will produce seeds as farmers needed it.
Another researcher observed that the present ratio of yam production was one to six, saying, "if a plant is generated in 2019, it will produce six more plants in other places."
In his address, another dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, said the workshop was an avenue to bring its real practitioners to educate yam farmers on the new alternative yam seeds.
He said real time development and sustainability of agricultural production can only happen where there was inter phase for new science to meet with those who would deploy it.
He revealed that farmers were drawn from 4 states as the first beneficiaries of the project, saying whatever knowledge they acquire would improve and enhance ways of doing things.
A member of the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, said there was need to increase agricultural productivity through conservation to boost it's exportation.
The occasion was a workshop entitled 'Yam Seed Production in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (YAM SITIBs)' organised by the a group of researchers.
Sponsors of the programme include United States of Agency for International Development (USAID), Pennsylvania State University, US and National Academy of Sciences.
A Geneticist and Principal Investigator of the project, said essence of the workshop was to reveal how new technology would rapidly produce seed yam to farmers.
"This new technology would be able to produce 2,000 plants from one plant within the same period of time. Essentially, we are developing the technology to rapidly produce seed yam, which normally would have produced maximum of six plants in one year."he said.
According to him, the quality of yam production would be high, because the yam was grown inside a laboratory where there are no pests and diseases.
He said the rate of production, was not dependent on weather, adding that it was in a controlled environment where it will produce seeds as farmers needed it.
Another researcher observed that the present ratio of yam production was one to six, saying, "if a plant is generated in 2019, it will produce six more plants in other places."
In his address, another dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, said the workshop was an avenue to bring its real practitioners to educate yam farmers on the new alternative yam seeds.
He said real time development and sustainability of agricultural production can only happen where there was inter phase for new science to meet with those who would deploy it.
He revealed that farmers were drawn from 4 states as the first beneficiaries of the project, saying whatever knowledge they acquire would improve and enhance ways of doing things.
A member of the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, said there was need to increase agricultural productivity through conservation to boost it's exportation.
