A total of twenty (20) improved new varieties among which were two hybrids cotton from Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, were registered and released by the National Committee on naming, registration and release.
All the approvals to register and release were given by the chairman of the release committee, Chief Oladosu Awoyemi at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) in Ibadan, last week Thursday.
Chief Awoyemi who said that two out of the 20 improved
varieties brought forward were only to be registered and not for commercial
release to farmers, disclosed that they were hybrid cotton named MAHYCO C 567
and MAHYCO C 57 from IAR in partnership with Raw Materials Research and
Development Council (RMRDC) as development partner in producing the cotton
varieties.
The committee also
approved for release 18 other varieties as follows: two sweet sorghum varieties
(Dansadau (SAMSORG 50 SW) and SAMSORG 51) both from IAR with high potential for
bio fuel extraction and capable of being grown twice a year, for more sugar
accumulation than sugar cane that can only be grown once a year.
Also registered and released were four (4) multi-purpose
cassava varieties (UMUCASS 47,48,49,50) and one (1) pound-able and eatable cassava
variety called UMUCASS 51, jointly
released by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and National
Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike to purposely allow farmers have access to ecological varieties in terms
of need for food security.
The presenter of the candidates Prof Chiedozie Egesi
emphasized on the involvement of the National Cassava Growers Association
(NCGA) in the naming of all the different cassava varieties as evidence of farmers’
involvement and its acceptability and marketability as UMUCASS 47 is called the
Game Changer), UMUCASS 48 is Obasanjo-2, while UMUCASS 49 and 50 are ‘Hope’ and
‘Baba 70’, respectively by the farmers.
The University of Ilorin yellow maize variety (ILOMAZ 1) was
released for commercialization to farmers based on its early maturing potential
under on-farm supervision, with its resistant ability to termites, said Prof.
S.A Olakojo who pointed out that it was a good material for breeders from Sudan
area.
Also registered and released to farmers by the committee for
their high yielding potential, pest and diseases resistance were two white
maize hybrid candidates (SC 667 and SC 419) presented by Seed Co. Nigeria both
of which came with an instruction that they must be locally produced to
generate employment as its importation would not be allowed into the country.
In the same vein, IAR two hybrid maize, pro vitamin A SAMMAZ
59 and 60 were also released by the National Release committee to meet the food
security challenges and the nutrient contents requirement of most food
processing companies in the country according to Prof. D.A Aba who pointed out
that the vitamin in the varieties was the selling point of the candidates even
at their low yield of 5.0 ton per hectare, added that people were now more
conscious of more nutritious foods at premium price.
Also, the SAMMAZ 61 with origin from IITA, SAMMAZ 62 and 63
also with the origin from African Agricultural technology Foundation (AATF/TELA
Maize Project, Kenya) are said to have a high yielding potential of 8.0 tons
per hectare with high protein nutrient that led to its approval for
registration and release by the national committee.
The yam coordinator Dr. Jude Obidiegwu who presented three
yam candidates that got registered and released said the new improved varieties
would checkmate seeds scarcity often experienced by farmers during the planting
season, saying UMUDAa31 popularly known
as wonder yam (Dioscorea alata) has been improved to become more pound-able and
very marketable.
He added that UMUDr29
super and UMUDr30 (Nagode) both in the group of Dioscorea rotundata were all
registered and released for farmers to ensure increased availability of
productive and preferred varieties for seed multiplication, marketing and food
security towards better economic earning in the country.
Mr. Olayiwola Agoro however wanted the report on evaluation
of all the released varieties in the past so as to ascertain performance and
level of the off takers and farmers’ accessibility for economic uses, thereby
tasking the National seed Council of Nigeria to be up and doing in this
capacity in order to keep the committee abreast of information in this regards.
Agoro said that ‘’ I remember the last meeting i attended
that NASC was challenged to check the performance status of most of these
varieties that have been released and confirmed whether they are already in the
hands of farmers, and if not, they should know why they not there. I don’t know
weather that has been done, and if they have not, then it is an opportunity to look at
it. It is not enough for you to release new improved varieties without any
translation to high productivity in the country’’
The representative of NASC, a director, Mr. Zadafamor
Ebiarede Jimmy in his response told the committee that financial challenges has
been a great constraint for the evaluation since we had once reported about
twenty states here, thereby asking for permission to later bring an update in
the next meeting.
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