A senior
lecturer, Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, at the University of
Ibadan (UI) Dr. Monrufat Balogun, has invented a technology for the production
of Dormancy-Controlled Yam Seed Tubers reports NaijaAgroNet.
NaijaAgroNet gathered
that the technology is not a genetic modification and had no zero detection of
plant-growth regulator, which would ensure increased availability of yam
seedlings to all yam farmers to allow them, cultivate yams for more than one
cycle.
"We
want to see how yams can be grown anytime in the year and not necessarily only
at the season.This technology would yield more income for farmers,” she said.
The expert
speaking on assurance of the technology to the growth of the agricultural
sector also said the research started in November 2014
and took two years to perfect it.
“We soak
the tubers in some substances that are called ‘Growth Regulators’. After this,
we check whether there is difference in sprouting between the ones soaked and
the ones not soaked. After checking the tubers at the lab we found out that
zero amounts of the substances were detected, so it is safe and people should
not fear.” Balogun said.
She also
said they are planning on training all stakeholders in yam production and
consumption on this new technology.
The
invention, NaijaAgroNet learnt,
was in collaboration with Prof. Wayne Curtis of the Pennsylvania State
University, under the United States National Academies-partnership for Enhanced
Engagement in Research, funded by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) and would be fully out by 2016.
Daniel
Nsolibe/GEE/Ed, Ops.
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