15 research outputs found
Beyond taro leaf blight: A participatory approach for plant breeding and selection for taro improvement in Samoa
The 1993 outbreak of leaf blight in Samoa resulted in the devastation of the staple taro crop and farmer's incomes from local and overseas markets. The preferred cultivars were all susceptible to the disease, and attempts to solve the problem through fungicides and changed cultural practices have had little impact Efforts to evaluate exotic cultivars and breed taro with disease resistance commenced in 1996. Recent initiatives to facilitate the breeding program in Samoa include a university breeders' club and the Taro Improvement Project (TIP), involving university and ministry research staff, students, extension staff, and farmers. Both initiatives have been motivated by an interest in greater participation of students and farmers in the breeding process and evaluation of introduced taro cultivars. This paper reviews and evaluates experiences in Samoa with participatory approaches to plant breeding using a breeders' club and a fanners' group (TIP), highlighting the benefits of both
Adapting clonally propagated crops to climatic changes: a global approach for taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)
Clonally propagated crop species are less
adaptable to environmental changes than those propagating
sexually. DNA studies have shown that in all
countries where taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)
has been introduced clonally its genetic base is
narrow. As genetic variation is the most important
source of adaptive potential, it appears interesting to
attempt to increase genetic and phenotypic diversity to
strengthen smallholders’ capacity to adapt to climatic
changes. A global experiment, involving 14 countries
from America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific was
conducted to test this approach. Every country
received a set of 50 indexed genotypes in vitro
assembling significant genetic diversity. After onstation
agronomic evaluation trials, the best genotypes
were distributed to farmers for participatory on-farm
evaluation. Results indicated that hybrids tolerant to
taro leaf blight (TLB, Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski),
developed by Hawaii, Papua New Guinea and
Samoa breeding programmes outperformed local cultivars in most locations. However, several elite
cultivars from SE Asia, also tolerant to TLB, outperformed
improved hybrids in four countries and in one
country none of the introductions performed better
than the local cultivars. Introduced genotypes were
successfully crossed (controlled crossing) with local
cultivars and new hybrids were produced. For the first
time in the history of Aroids research, seeds were
exchanged internationally injecting tremendous allelic
diversity in different countries. If climatic changes are
going to cause the problems envisaged, then breeding
crops with wide genetic diversity appears to be an
appropriate approach to overcome the disasters that
will otherwise ensue.This research was financially supported
by the Europe-Aid project ‘‘Adapting clonally propagated crops
to climatic and commercial changes’’ (Grant No. DCI-FOOD/
2010/230-267 SPC). Thanks are due to the 14 different countries
technicians working on research stations and to farmers and
their families for their enthusiastic contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Sero-epidemiological assessment of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and sub-fertility in Samoan women
© 2016 Menon et al. Background: In our recent village-based cross-sectional study, the prevalence of nucleic acid amplification technique (NAAT) diagnosed Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in sexually active Samoan women was very high (36%), and test positivity was associated with sub-fertility. We conducted a serological and epidemiological analysis in these participants to identify if serological data can provide further insight into the potential contribution of CT to sub-fertility in this population. Methods: Serological prediction of CT associated sub-fertility was conducted using a series of commercial tests. The correlation between fertility or sub-fertility, behavioral factors, and serologically predicted CT associated sub-fertility was determined. Results: A positive antibody reaction against the Chlamydia Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP) was significantly associated with sub-fertility, with 50% of infertile women being positive. Serum IgG and IgA antibodies against MOMP correlated with current infection measured by urine NAAT, suggesting longer term infections are common in this population. Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies were frequently detected in this population (84%), and unexpectedly, were significantly associated with sub-fertility. Conclusions: The high prevalence of chlamydial infection and of positive chlamydial sub-fertility results suggests that CT is an important and frequent contributory factor to sub-fertility in this population
Essential Medicines at the National Level : The Global Asthma Network's Essential Asthma Medicines Survey 2014
Patients with asthma need uninterrupted supplies of affordable, quality-assured essential medicines. However, access in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. The World Health Organization (WHO) Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Global Action Plan 2013-2020 sets an 80% target for essential NCD medicines' availability. Poor access is partly due to medicines not being included on the national Essential Medicines Lists (EML) and/or National Reimbursement Lists (NRL) which guide the provision of free/subsidised medicines. We aimed to determine how many countries have essential asthma medicines on their EML and NRL, which essential asthma medicines, and whether surveys might monitor progress. A cross-sectional survey in 2013-2015 of Global Asthma Network principal investigators generated 111/120 (93%) responses41 high-income countries and territories (HICs); 70 LMICs. Patients in HICs with NRL are best served (91% HICs included ICS (inhaled corticosteroids) and salbutamol). Patients in the 24 (34%) LMICs with no NRL and the 14 (30%) LMICs with an NRL, however no ICS are likely to have very poor access to affordable, quality-assured ICS. Many LMICs do not have essential asthma medicines on their EML or NRL. Technical guidance and advocacy for policy change is required. Improving access to these medicines will improve the health system's capacity to address NCDs.Peer reviewe
Potentials for Shade Management in Agroforestry Systems for Taro Cropping
This paper discusses the potential benefits from shade management in agroforestry systems for taro cropping. Trial work to evaluate weed growth, taro production, and
cultivar responses to shade levels are reviewed. It is concluded that weed growth can be reduced in tree-shaded plots without reducing corm production. Higher crop biomass is obtained when taro is grown under fifty percent shade compared to full sunlight. Furthermore, there is a
shade/cultivar interaction which indicates the need to select cultivars appropriate to the shade levels found in farmers' fields.
Tree shade in agroforestry plots provides a pleasant environment to carry out heavy tasks such as crop planting and weeding, possibly improving productivity from labor