FG releases 15 new crop varieties, 2 privately bred chickens

The Federal Government ( FG) apex decision making committee on the varietal release chaired by Prof. Olusoji Olufajo  has approved 15 improved crops varieties along with two chickens brought by different private farms.

Prof.Olufajo, the National Variety Release Committee ( NVRC) approved all these new improved varieties last week Thursday at the 38th meeting held at National Centre Genetic Resources and Biotechnology ( NACGRAB) under the power conferred on him to ensure the management of improved varieties of seeds, livestock and fisheries being released into markets for commercialization.

The national approvals were given to all the candidates after passing  the thorough screening even at the recommendation of the two technical sub committees on crops, livestock and fishery that are chaired by Professors S.Z Ado and Akin Hassan respectively.

All the approved new candidates which are meant to step up food security in Nigeria included wheat ( LACRIWHIT-18D) from Lake Chad Research Institute ( LCRI) along with four other different barley  varieties for their high yield and good malting quality.

Also released are hybrid maize from University of Ilorin with high yield potential, tolerance to drought and striga just as the Institute of Agricutural Research ( IAR) SAMMAZ 76 was registered based on ability to withstand multiple stresses according to the committee approval.

The varieties under cassava that were released by the NVRC as candidates from Root and Tuber Research Institute, Umudike included UMUCASS 55 and UMUCASS 56. The two releases were based on good plant architecture, high yield and high dry matter, while the UMUCASS is slightly poundable with high vigor.

Noticeably released and registered were also two rice hybrids called  FARO 69 and 70 brought by National Cereal Research Institute ( NCRI) in collaboration with Shanghai Agro- biological Gene Center, Institute of Crop Sciences ( ICS), Chinese Academy of Agricutural ( CASS) and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Federal University Lafia and Federal University, Oye Ekiti.

Joint to above releases by the NVRC were another two varieties of castor brought by NCRI, Badeggi in collaboration Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and Bauchi ADP for high yield and large endosperm in NCRICAS3 and NCRICAS4.

The last two candidates in crop category that were released and registered was corchorus popularly called ( Ewedu) in Yoruba language, brought by National Horticultural Research Institute. They are HORTICOR 1 and HORTICOR 2 being registered based on their no seed dormancy, high yield, large and glossy leaf, high protein and mineral content.

Finally retroactively released and registered for already being in the hands of the people were two varieties of chicken brought by two different private organizations called NOILER and COBB 500 from Amo Farms and Zactech respectively.

Prof. Olufajo commended the boldness of the two private livestock companies who had made the registration of the two chickens varieties possible saying more of their varieties should be as well registered.

In his remarks, the Director, NACGRAB, also doubled as the Registrar of the sitting committee on Varietal release, Dr. Tony Okere thanked all the organizations that had supported in the holding of the meeting saying that government institutions and private organizations presenting candidates for registration must comply to the order asking them to bring the required seeds quantities for Genetic conservation in the national gene bank as a preventive measure against extinction that could occur through fire or flood disasters against any germplasm just as he advocated the same to apply for the

National Agricutural Seeds Council for varieties multiplication.