2.1 HIGH-QUALITY SEED PRODUCTION
2.2 PRODUCTION OF QUALITY VEGETATIVE PLANTING MATERIALS
2.3 REGIONAL SEED QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM
CARDI - Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute
CARICOM - Caribbean Community
CARISEC - Caribbean Community Secretariat
CARISTA - Caribbean Seed Testing Association
CSEGRIN - Caribbean Seed and Germplasm Resources Information Network
ISTA - International Seed Testing Association
UWI - University of the West Indies
The members of the Caribbean community (CARICOM) (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago) have a wide range of germplasm of the most common food crops which have the potential to increase crop production and productivity.
CARICOM, recognizing that good-quality seed plays a significant role in boosting crop productivity and quality, decided to lay the foundation for the development of a sustainable regional seed programme. It therefore requested the Italian Government to fund a project for the establishment of a cadre of trained seed professionals and technicians; a proper information network on germplasm availability; and an appropriate mechanism for seed-quality control in the region to facilitate seed exchange.
During Phase I of the project (1992-1994), 513 professionals and technicians were trained through regional and national training courses, fellowships and conference workshops. A regional information network called the Caribbean Seed and Germplasm Resources Information Network (CSEGRIN) was established for germplasm information, collection and exchange. Moreover, regional technical standards for true seed were developed and basic seed testing and handling equipment was provided.
Recognizing the importance of strengthening and consolidating gains made during Phase I of the project, the recipient CARICOM countries requested further assistance for Phase II to be developed.
The Project Document was signed by representatives of FAO, the CARICOM Secretariat (CARISEC) and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (the host country) on 2, 7 and 9 December 1994, respectively. Phase II of the project GCP/RLA/108/ITA was started in January 1995 and was scheduled to be completed by April 1997. It was in fact completed on 30 June 1997. The project received an Italian Trust Fund project budget of $US 1 570 361 and a budgeted counterpart contribution of $TT 4 700 000. FAO was designated the executing agency while the Government implementing agencies comprised the Caribbean Community Secretariat, Ministries of Agriculture of participating countries, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the University of the West Indies (UWI).
In line with member countries' requests and the recommendations contained in the Phase I Terminal Report, the short-term objectives for Phase II were to expand the capacity of selected regional and national seed production activities in order to facilitate the production of seeds and vegetative planting materials; alleviate the current constraints to massive propagation of vegetative planting materials; facilitate the establishment of a functional regional seed testing laboratory to monitor the quality of seed in the CARICOM countries and establish a basis for seed certification programmes; set up a long-term training programme and short specialized courses on seed technology and vegetative plant propagation, germplasm collection and storage; upgrade CSEGRIN to include an inventory of seed qualities and producers; establish a varietal catalogue and data bank for CARICOM, to include the major crops cultivated locally, and, finally, facilitate the release of improved germplasm to farmers.
The project's long-term objective was to provide quality seed and planting materials of major crops in order to enhance both national food security and export diversification. This objective supported the efforts of all CARICOM Governments and Suriname to develop a policy of self-sufficiency through extensive use of good-quality seeds in order to achieve higher crop yields. The project's ultimate aim was that the endeavour become ongoing, supported at the regional and local government levels.
Improved high-quality seed or planting material can only be the result of conscious varietal improvement to generate good genetic material which can then be massively propagated by farmers. Some varietal improvement had taken place in the region but no systematic regional evaluation trials or seed multiplication programmes were in place. In order to protect the genetic integrity of available improved varieties, the concept of a limited generation system of seed production was strengthened by the proposal of a seed certification system. A seed technical standard was developed and a testing procedure using the rules of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) was adopted.
With the exception of Guyana, no information was available on the demand or supply of planting materials. The project carried out the first region-wide survey to collect information on seed demand and supply for kidney bean, cassava, corn, cowpea, dasheen, eddoes, hot pepper, okra, peanut, pigeon pea, pineapple, plantain, rice, sea-island cotton, soybean, sweet potato, tannia and yam.
During Phase I of the project, all member countries were equipped with basic seed testing implements, and selected countries were further supplied with specialized seed conditioning equipment. Under Phase II, more attention was paid to regional seed production farms. Some seed conditioning equipment was furnished to Belize and Trinidad and Tobago.
During Phase I of the project, it was found that there were no proper purification and varietal maintenance activities for the hot pepper cultivar Scotch Bonnet, which is in high demand both within and outside the region. Owing to improper production procedures, moreover, most of the pepper varieties in the region were contaminated with viral diseases.
In Phase II, an expert was assigned to initiate the task of hot pepper germplasm collection and purification. At the conclusion of the expert's assignment in July 1996, over 50 accessions of hot pepper had been collected, purification of two cultivars had been almost completed and a greenhouse facility for hot pepper screening and purification had been established at the CARDI regional station in Barbados.
The project's training programmes highlighted the importance of clear government policies concerning seed production. National seed fora were held in Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago to generate recommendations for the development of national seed policies. Seed policy documents were developed for Belize, Jamaica and Suriname. In general, progress was made in setting up the necessary framework for the production and dissemination of high-quality disease-free seed.
A survey conducted during Phase I of the project showed that most tissue culture laboratories were manned by inexperienced technicians and that chemicals for routine procedures were in short supply. There was also a lack of standard procedures for tissue culture maintenance. In order to rectify these problems, the project purchased chemicals for selected laboratories and attempts were made to standardize procedures.
During Phase I of the project it became clear that increased agricultural productivity in some crops, especially those which are vegetatively propagated, had been hampered by the lack of access to improved planting materials. Often, vegetative planting materials were transported across borders, in contravention of safety procedures. When there was access to in vitro material, moreover, the lack of knowledge about proper hardening led to a high mortality rate of plantlets during the weaning phase.
In Phase II, in vitro plant materials were purchased for selected countries and technical assistance was provided to ensure successful weaning with improvisations in the greenhouse. In this way, improved cultivars of banana were established in the Bahamas, Belize and Nevis.
Through contractual arrangements with the UWI, Trinidad and Tobago, technicians from all participating countries were trained in procedures for tissue culture maintenance. A detailed laboratory manual, covering pineapple, banana, plantain, sweet potato, cassava, dasheen, tannia and yam, was also produced and distributed throughout the region.
The seed quality control system comprises both field inspection and laboratory seed testing. A few countries (Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname) have informal systems for internal seed control, but there are no regional links. During Phase I of the project, a regional technical seed standard document was developed to act as a platform for the development of a uniform regional seed quality control system.
Phase II of the project concentrated on raising awareness and transferring technical know-how. A total of 757 regional personnel was trained in various areas of seed programme development. Two professionals were given fellowships for a Master's degree in seed related courses; six scientists participated in exchange visits between Italy and the CARICOM region, and two scientists visited institutions outside the CARICOM region to learn modern techniques in molecular biology and hot pepper breeding. A list of trainees was compiled for future use by regional authorities.
The CSEGRIN was first launched in Phase I of the project. This software package was further updated in Phase II, with the addition of a model for information on seed production and certification.
Some work on the characterization of regional germplasms was carried out. These included sweet potato, yam, dasheen and eddoes, tannia, cassava and pepper. As a result of this research, preliminary regional varietal catalogues were developed for the various crops. Great variations were found in supposedly "duplicated" varieties of many crops in the same location. This confirmed the need to clean up the cultivars and set up a system of molecular markers inventory for important cultivars in the region.
The project has made considerable progress in creating seed awareness and initiating actions, at national and regional levels, for sustainable seed programmes. Owing to the heterogeneousness of the CARICOM region with regard to crop types and stage of seed programme development, it is recognized that crop zoning will be necessary, with some countries producing true seed while others concentrate on the propagules of vegetatively propagated crops.
The sustainability of a seed programme for food security and rural development will require the active participation of farmers and a realistic seed policy in each member country. Limited resources require some of the elements of the seed programme to be undertaken at a regional level. This is especially necessary for varietal development and massive seed propagation of all crops. In the case of vegetatively propagated crops, a regional approach will also be necessary for disease indexing, in vitro plantlet propagation of disease-free foundation stocks and a comprehensive certification system.
A programme of coordinated trials should be launched for the most important regional crops in order to provide a steady inflow of good adapted varieties for seed multiplication.
A programme of varietal maintenance must be set up to guarantee the genetic constitution of improved varieties in light of future exchange or purchase of genetically engineered seed.
For a successful seed business of identified varieties, an up-to-date record of planting material supply and demand must be maintained. Taking logistical requirements into account, this record is best kept by a regional institution. The survey system initiated by the project could be used.
Seed handling facilities in Belize, Jamaica and Suriname should be reinforced to increase their capacity and efficiency. The seed testing laboratory at the Central Experiment Station, Centeno, Trinidad, should be converted into a regional facility.
The propagation stations currently in operation need to be refurbished to provide the necessary hardening and weaning facilities. These efforts should be concentrated in strategic locations to be used for the introduction of new, high-quality disease-free planting propagules in CARICOM member countries.
The elements for the certification of vegetative planting materials were developed by the project. These elements should be pooled together to develop a certification system and plan for mass propagation of vegetative propagules required for the cultivation of most of the important crops of the region.
Follow up action should be taken to ensure that Governments adopt and utilize seed policy plans already developed in some countries, in line with agricultural plans.
A dynamic and appropriate policy should be pursued by member countries to ensure that trained personnel are properly utilized and provided with a friendly working environment. Furthermore, Governments should fulfil their obligations to personnel trained under the project so as to motivate them to contribute to the further development of the regional seed programme.
Governments should ensure that their stations operate on a cost-recovery basis so as to ensure the sustainability of operations. A degree of autonomy and independent action should be granted to the propagation station in order to increase their efficiency.
In order to ensure timely dissemination of seed-related information, CSEGRIN should be further developed to incorporate supply and demand forecasts, registers of seed growers in the region and other important statistics. In order to ensure trouble-free operations in the future, the task should be assigned to a group or committee of scientists under the supervision of a regional institution or group of regional institutions. This group should be responsible for the maintenance, upgrading, updating and dissemination CSEGRIN data.
Regional germplasm banks containing germplasm of agronomic importance should be set up or improved.
Provision should be made to train more people to Masters of Science degree level in order to cover leadership roles in the areas of plant breeding, root crop production, horticulture and seed quality control. It is recommended that the laboratory manual on tissue culture be extended to cover all the important crops in the region.
PROJECT STAFF
Name Function Dates of Service
Starting Date Concluding Date
International
M. Larinde Chief Technical Adviser Jan. 1995 June 1997
S. Diulgheroff Seed Expert Jan. 1995 Jan. 1996
G. De Bac Vegetable Seed Expert March 1995 July 1996
F. Mastrandrea Ass. Professional Officer Nov. 1995 Sept. 1996
National
S. Le Gall Administrative Asst. Jan. 1995 Feb. 1997
A. Carter-Armorer Secretary Jan. 1995 June 1997
Consultants
Name Function Place Dates
J. Wobil Seed demand Jamaica, Dominica, 23 Feb. - 20 June 1995
forecast Antigua, Belize, 26 June - 20 July 1995
Guyana, Suriname
J. Vapnek Seed legislation Belize, Jamaica, 22 Oct. - 17 Nov. 1995
Trinidad, Guyana,
Suriname
S. Diulgheroff Installation of Nigeria, Kenya 19 - 28 March 1996
CSEGRIN
S. Diulgheroff Installation of Italy 2 months
CSEGRIN on
Internet
Hassan Fouad Evaluation of Barbados, Antigua, 24 Feb. - 17 March 1996
vacuum harvester Nevis, Trinidad
A. Nicotra Development of Italy Sept. - Oct. 1996
technical standards
for vegetative
propagation material
Name Function Place Dates
C. Borroto Devt. of technical Cuba 16 Sept. - 7 Oct. 1996
standards for
vegetative
propagation material
V. Villalobos Devt. of technical Mexico 15 - 21 Sept. 1996
standards for 22 Sept. - 6 Oct. 1996
vegetative
propagation material
S. Diulgheroff Resolution of Trinidad, 22 Feb. - 22 March 1997
operational Barbados,
problems with St. Vincent, Jamaica
CSEGRIN
Contractors
CARDI CARICOM regional Trinidad 27 June 1995 -
germplasm collection, 26 June 1996
characterization,
conservation and
information exchange
UWI Varietal characterization Trinidad 1 Nov. 1996 -
of sweet potato 1 Nov. 1997
H. Adams Compilation of Barbados 1 - 21 March 1997
information on
ex-situ multiplication
of selected vegetative
planting materials
F. McDonald Compilation of Barbados 7 - 21 March 1997
information on
in vitro multiplication
of selected vegetatively
propagated crops
S. Lee Pow Video production on Trinidad 1 - 31 March 1997
CSEGRIN and banana
mass propagation
B. Cooper Compilation of St. Vincent 24 March - 31 May 1997
information on CSEGRIN
operational problems
and proposal of solutions
A. Beekham Preparation of material Trinidad 1 April - 15 May 1997
for CSEGRIN video
FELLOWSHIPS AND STUDY TOURS
Participants Study Place Dates
A2.1 FELLOWSHIPS
Malachy Dottin Horticulture Institute of Plant Aug. 1995 - Dec. 1997
biotechnology Biotechnology,
Central University
of Las Villas, Cuba
Joyce Pennycooke Germplasm Colorado State Aug. 1995 - Aug. 1997
management University, the USA
A2.2 STUDY TOURS
Lesroy Grant Seed testing and University of 18 April - 1 June 1996
certification Bologna, Italy
Leslie Brereton Capsicum and University of 1 June - 13 July 1996
legume seed Torino, Italy
production
Leon S. Smith Field University of 1 June - 13 July 1996
experimentation Torino, Italy
Stefano Amaducci Molecular biology UWI, Jamaica 29 June - 30 July 1996
Rachele Imberti Legumes CARDI, Belize 27 June - 7 Aug. 1996
D. La Marca Floriculture CARDI, Barbados 27 June - 7 Aug. 1996
MAJOR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT PROVIDED
Quantity Item Cost
$US
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
1 Cotton harvester, pneumatic 1 348
1 Seed cleaner, office 1 086
1 Computer, Gateway 2000 2 100
1 Printer, HP 5L Laser Jet 650
BAHAMAS
1 Computer, Arche 1 560
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 755
1 ProComm Plus 115
1 UPS 421
BARBADOS
1 Jeep, Suzuki Samurai 9 750
1 Computer, Compaq 1 600
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 840
BELIZE
1 Computer, IBM compatible, 486 SX 1 560
1 Cleaner, air screen 6 000
1 Wet vegetable seed separator, large 2 700
DOMINICA
1 Computer, Arche 1 560
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 754
1 UPS, Smart 421
1 ProComm Plus 115
1 Printer, HP 5L Laser Jet 650
Quantity Item Cost
$US
GUYANA
1 Computer, 486 SX 1 195
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 770
1 Modem 250
JAMAICA
1 Wet vegetable seed separator (small) 2 000
SAINT KITTS
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 755
1 UPS, Smart 421
1 ProComm Plus 115
SAINT LUCIA
1 Printer, HP 4L Laser Jet 755
1 UPS, Smart 420
1 ProComm Plus 115
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
1 Oven dryer, forced-air 12 530
1 Printer, HP Desk Jet 1200C colour 1 300
1 Computer, Gateway 2000 2 100
DOCUMENTS PREPARED DURING THE PROJECT
A4.1 REPORTS
Status of vegetative planting materials in the CARICOM region. A. Nicotra, 1995.
Draft project proposal for Phase II. M. Larinde, 1994.
CARICOM regional seed demand/supply survey. J. Wobil, 1995.
Directory of seed vendors/suppliers of the CARICOM region, 1995.
Baseline information on seed demand/supply for selected crops of the CARICOM region, 1995.
Draft national seed policy and plan for Jamaica, 1995.
Draft national seed policy and plan for Belize, 1995.
Compendium of participants trained in project workshops,courses and fellowships.
M. Larinde, 1995.
Design of the Caribbean Seed and Germplasm Resources Information Network (CSEGRIN) and operational manual for CSEGRIN software. S. Diulgheroff, 1996.
Introduction of a small-scale cotton harvester for CARICOM sea-island cotton.
H. Fouad, 1996.
Manual for the Caribbean laboratories on micropropagation: principles and practices.
J. Duncan, 1996
Draft national seed policy and plan for Suriname, 1996.
A4.2 MANUALS
FAO/Jamaica National Forum - Seed Policy and Plan, Feb. 1995.
FAO/Guyana National Forum - Seed Policy and Plan, April 1995.
FAO/Bahamas - Massive Propagation for Bananas, May 1995.
FAO/Grenada - National Seed Production and Testing, May 1995.
FAO Regional - Tissue Culture Operation for Germplasm Maintenance, July 1995.
FAO/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Banana Planting Materials, Nov. 1995.
FAO/CARDI/MOA, Barbados - Hot Pepper Production, Dec. 1995.
FAO/Bahamas - Rapid Propagation of Bananas, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Belize - Plantain Production, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Antigua - Production of Vegetables, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Barbuda - Peanut Production, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Saint Lucia National Forum - Seed Policy and Plan, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Nevis - Root and Fruit Crop Production, Aug. 1996.
FAO/Antigua and Barbuda National Forum - Seed and Policy Plan, Dec. 1996.
A4.3 VARIETAL CATALOGUES
Varietal catalogue for sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) grown in CARICOM countries, 1995.
Varietal catalogue for yam (Dioscorea spp.) grown in CARICOM countries, 1997.
Varietal catalogue for cassava (Manihot sp.) grown in CARICOM countries, 1997.
Varietal catalogue for tannia (Xanthosoma sp.) grown in CARICOM countries, 1997.
Varietal catalogue for dasheen and eddoes (Colocasia spp.) grown in CARICOM countries, 1997.
Varietal catalogue for hot peppers (Capsicum spp.) grown in CARICOM countries, 1997.
