National Repository, Multiplication and Dissemination Centers (NRMDCs): an instrument to enhance the distribution of improved pest and disease resistant Musa varieties in Asia and the Pacific
2004
Van den Bergh, I. | Maghuyop, M.A.G. | Roa, V.N. | Molina, A.B.Jr,International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain for Asia and the Pacific, c/o IRRI, GS Kush Hall, Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines)
Bananas and plantains are among the major fruit crops in the world, but their production is seriously threatened by many pest and disease problems, among which black and yellow sigatoka, fusarium wilt and nematodes. The members of the Banana Asia and the Pacific Network (BAPNET) of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) have identified pests and diseases as the main constraint to Musa production in Asia and have appealed to INIBAP to mobilize resources to address such constraints. Different institutions began banana breeding programs to overcome these diseases, and a number of high yielding, pest-and disease-resistant varieties were developed. Although the major Musa breeding programs are located outside Asia, many of the new hybrids being produced by these programs maybe of interest for production in Asia. The International Musa Testing Program (IMTP) was established in 1989 as a world-wide collaborative effort coordinated by INIBAP to evaluate, in multi-locational trials around the world, such elite Musa varieties produced by breeding programs as well as promising germplasm accessions from the INIBAP collection, in order to obtain information on their resistance/tolerance to black and yellow sigatoka, fusarium wilt and nematodes. The aim is to identify banana and plantain hybrids resistant to these pests and diseases, which would meet local requirements and with which small-scale farmers could replace existing susceptible cultivars. The availability of the improved materials for wide distribution is limited by the capability of the INIBAP Transit Centre (ITC) to respond to the many requests for materials worldwide. To complement the IMTP, National Repository Multiplication and Dissemination Center (NRMDC) were identified in all BAPNET countries to provide access to the new, improved hybrids and superior varieties developed by breeding programs all over the world, multiply them locally, and make them available to Asia and Pacific countries for national yield performance evaluation by researchers/farmers and eventual adoption by farmers. All germplasm movement, both into the region from outside and between countries in the region is carried out according to the FAO/PGRI Guidelines for the Safe Movement of the Musa Germplasm. Twenty-one accessions were already turned over to Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the South Pacific Commission and Vietnam. While a Letter of Agreement (LOA) was signed with Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Taiwan Banana Research Institute.
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