CBN-V Video Archives - S1-25
Increasing Cassava Yields by Means of Participatory Biotechnology

Vega V.R.M., S. Rodríguez, M. García, J. López, J.C. Ventura, M. Cabrera, Y. Beovides, M. Folguera, M. Oliva, C. Pons, M. Martínez, D. Guerra, M. Alvarez, H. T. J. García.

Research Institute in Tropical Root and Tubers Crop (INIVIT), Cuba inivit@ip.etecsa.cu.

        Results are presented that bring concrete solutions to the agrarian necessities of cassava in Cuba. This has contributed to the development of the crop’s cultivation and has brought significant increase in the efficiency and qualities of the plantation material through the application of biotechnology. A scheme has been established for initial material production, which is acclimatized and cultivated in a first cycle under adequate proper conditions. Cuttings from in vitro plants are used as original asexual material to establish the scheme of "seed" certification. A group of specialized enterprises and advance producers, under the advise of the investigators and taking into account their criteria, receive a material of the new genotypes and commercial clones, and have been planted in the field in a comparative way with the traditional clones possessed their own areas. The results obtained during five years of experience have increased ties between the researchers and producers. It has been possible to achieve a superior level of adoption of the technology and new cassava genotype by the latter group. It has been also possible to select and rejuvenate traditional commercial clones of the producer and to increase their yields. The introduction of these methods guarantees the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the plantation material, and reduces the time between obtaining clones and its use for the producers, to two or three years depending on the conditions of the region. This investigation has demonstrated validates the value of participation of the producer the potential of the biotechnology for the development of this crop.

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