New diversification crops: MSIRI's recent and innovative contributions
| MSI09P4399 | |
| Govinden, N | |
| New diversification crops: MSIRI's recent and innovative contributions | |
| periodical article | |
| 2009 | |
| University of Mauritius Research Journal | |
| 15: 427-435 | |
| online only | |
| En | |
| En | |
| With the reduction in the guaranteed export price, cane sugar production is no longer viable on part of the land currently under the crop. Therefore, there is a need to seek acceptable agricultural and non-agricultural alternatives for this land; hence, the development during the recent past of a small alternative crop programme at the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute - MSIRI. New crops are, by definition, innovations in agriculture. However, it does not suffice to propose them or even to introduce planting material. For them to be effectively innovative, some essential research and development work needs to have been completed in order to demonstrate that they are viable options for some target producer groups. The two examples of new diversification crops that constitute the recent and innovative contributions of the MSIRI are the pejibaye palm (Bactris gasipaes) grown for palm heart and the pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) grown for the fresh fruit. Both have already been successfully popularized, and the latter is being produced commercially. In the case of the pejibaye palm, it took five years (1998-2003) of agronomic trials in growers' fields before the crop could be proposed as the best species for palm heart production in the superhumid zone, a region where sugar cane cultivation is being reduced. Since then, large quantities of seeds were imported in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 to satisfy the requests of all producer groups. Another research project is being implemented to establish sustainable production practices on marginal lands. In the case of pitaya, a cactus that grows in the wild in the dry zone of Mauritius, four years of research (2001-2005) in small plots on station were necessary to show how to produce marketable fruits of high value. A simple production method was published. Several clones have been propagated, and the distribution of plants to interested growers started at the end of 2006. | |
| Agricultural diversification crop diversification pejibaye palm palmito pitaya cactus sugar industry pitaya pejibaye | |
| Mauritius | |
| Agricultural diversification | |
| Pejibaye Pitaya | |
| 2009-09-17 | |
| En | |
| FC |