(Tetum) Soon to rock Timor-Leste are up to 11 varieties of sweet potato, beans and rice that are currently being tested for suitability with over 500 farmers across the country.
If the varieties perform well and prove useful to Timorese farmers, they will be officially released and distributed through the National Seed System for Released Varieties in the next two years.
“Prior to release, the varieties will be evaluated for distinguishing features such as taste, good yields, resistance to disease, colour, nutrition and value for consumers.”
‘Deep purple’ sweet potato © Alexia Skok/Seeds of Life
Red rice © Alexia Skok/Seeds of Life
The 11 varieties were chosen for widespread on-farm testing in all agro-ecological zones because they performed well in on-station testing against tens of other varieties over the last three years says Research Coordinator Luis Almeida.
“Two of the varieties are locally sourced and already popular among farming families for their taste and colour – purple sweet potato and red rice both from the Baucau district.
“Our on-station testing of the other varieties, originally sourced from overseas, shows they are well-adapted to the local soil and weather conditions and traditional farming practices,” he said.
“Prior to release, the varieties will be evaluated for distinguishing features such as taste, good yields, resistance to disease, colour, nutrition and value for consumers.”
A simmering pot of mung beans © Alexia Skok/Seeds of Life
Looking inside a winged bean © Rob Williams/Seeds of Life
Those approved for release will add to the 12 improved varieties of maize, rice, sweet potato, peanut and cassava already released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) over the last eight years.
The most recently released crop was Ai-luka 1, a bitter cassava variety useful for industrial purposes such as modified starch production.
The new variety was launched by MAF Vice Minister Marcos da Cruz on 23 May 2014 at an event attended by over 60 farmers, MAF-SoL staff and representatives from ACIAR and CCT.
Varieties being tested with farmers
Sweet potato
CIP 83 from Potato Improvement Centre: A yellow flesh sweet potato that eats a little drier than Hohrae 3
‘Baucau purple’ from Baucau: A deep purple variety already widely grown in Baucau
Climbing red bean
Mwirasi from Rwanda: A high yielding red bean
RWV 1384 from Rwanda: A high yielding red bean that’s later to flower but has longer pods
Rice
N2 from Baucau: A local red rice with above average yields
M17 from IRRI: A white rice with good consistent yield and a good taste
Mung bean
Merpati from the Indonesia National Program: A dull-coat variety with good yield and taste
Delta from the Australian National Program: A bright-coat variety with good yield and taste
Winged bean
Indo from the Australian Tropical Crops and Forages Collection (ATCFC): A white seed variety with green pods
Thailand 6 from ATCFC: A brown seed variety with greed pods
Nigeria from ATCFC: A brown seed variety with red edges on mature pods
