These seeds, developed after extensive research conducted at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)'s Rubona branch in Huye District for cassava and Musanze branch for potatoes, have been created through a process of crossbreeding various plant tissues in controlled laboratory conditions. The result is a new variety of seeds that will soon be available for farmers to grow.
In Musanze District, trials were conducted using newly developed potato seeds. These seeds were cultivated under controlled conditions and enhanced for resilience without the use of the standard pesticides typically applied to potato crops.
The trial results were promising, with the enhanced seeds thriving, while the traditional seeds failed to grow due to their vulnerability to common potato diseases.
Dr. Nuwumuremyi Athanase, Senior Scientist at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and one of the lead researchers, has shared insights with RBA about the successful outcomes of the trials.
"We aimed to compare the performance of traditional seeds with enhanced seeds, particularly their ability to resist diseases. We planted both types of seeds, applied the same fertilizer, and refrained from using pesticides to observe their resilience. While the traditional seeds succumbed to disease, the enhanced seeds performed excellently," he explained.
Similarly, research on cassava has been ongoing for four years at RAB's Rubona farm in Huye District.
The newly developed cassava variety is resistant to diseases such as cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease. The next step is to distribute these seeds to farmers for cultivation.
Dr. Nuwumuremyi continued, 'The new cassava variety can withstand both cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease. This is a major breakthrough, and the next phase is making these seeds available to farmers.'
The development of enhanced potato seeds was made possible through a collaboration with an international agricultural organization specializing in sweet potatoes. Some of the seeds grown in Rwanda were sent to Kenya, where they were further improved. This partnership has resulted in more resilient potato varieties suitable for Rwanda's conditions.
Dr. Magembe Eric, a Kenyan researcher involved in the project, highlighted that this accomplishment marks a significant milestone for Africa. He explained that potato seeds from South America were genetically modified to improve their resistance.
The modified seeds are expected to yield between 40 and 60 tons per hectare.
These improved seeds are expected to provide significant benefits to farmers growing cassava and potatoes. By reducing the reliance on expensive pesticides and fertilizers, which can negatively impact the environment, these seeds will help farmers minimize crop losses caused by diseases and pests.
IGIHE
