Management of SPVD:A model for production, multiplication and delivery

of clean planting material in Uganda

Cassava Potato Sweetpotato Bioinnovate Consortium

Settumba Mukasa and Samuel KyamanywaSchool of Agricultural Sciences, Makerere University,

P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.

First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific ConferenceUnited Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

Background

• Diseases of viral origin cause great yield loses in sweetpotato, an important and widely grown tuber crop in Uganda.

• Currently, sweetpotato virus disease (SPVD) is the most devastating disease of sweetpotato in Uganda, ECA and worldwide.

• SPVD is caused by duo infection and synergistic interaction of two viruses namely the aphid-borne Sweet potato feathery mottle virus and the whitefly-borne Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus.

• SPVD causes yield losses of over 58 % and extinction of susceptible varieties including orange fleshed varieties that have been developed to fight vitamin A deficiency in tropical Africa.

• Use of planting material not tested for viruses is the main means by which SPVD is spread.

• The situation is further complicated by lack of adequate quantities of quality planting material and an efficient distribution system in ECA.

Subsistence Vs commercial growing of sweetpotatoes

Previous Research Progress at MAK

• Progress has been registered at MAK in Uganda under the BIOEARN/Bioinnovate Programs and in partnership with CIP/HarvestPlus, and ASARECA programs in the areas of:

• i) diagnostic protocols for the major viruses of sweetpotato in Uganda

• ii) identification of elite and SPVD tolerant varieties, • iii) developing tissue culture based systems for virus

elimination,• iv) optimising protocols for rapid in vitro sweetpotato

multiplication, • v) developing a model for production, multiplication and

delivery of quality tested planting material, and• vi) identifying policy issues that would ensure sustainability

of a model for production and delivery of quality planting material.

Rationale

• Despite the successful dissemination of elite varieties (including OFSP) many of them succumbed to the devastating SPVD.

• Lack of good supply of virus free planting material does not allow sustainable cultivation and dissemination of elite varieties.

• Putting in place a sustainable system for production and delivery requires: appropriate varieties, a battery of bio-techniques, resources to create awareness among growers and potential investors, and relevant policy guidelines.

• Given the initial high costs and un-predictable market forces, there was need for Piloting Public-Private-Partnership in sweetpotato vine multiplication

Objectives

The main objective of this research was promote adoption of using virus free sweetpotato planting material sustainably through piloting an appropriate model involving private and private actors.

This pilot phase is envisaged to develop into a large-scale decentralized system for sweetpotato vine multiplication.

The Approach

• In this MAK-BIOCROPS-HarvestPlus partnership, MAK carried out activities on the rapid multiplication of virus tested sweetpotato planting using TC.

• Low cost approaches

• Locally avaiable materials

• MAK provided virus free TC derived sweetpotato plantlets/cuttings to BIOCROPS (U) Ltd, which showed interest in commercial multiplication of certified (basic) disease-free planting material of existing and new varieties.

• CIP/HarvestPlus is poised to deliver the expanded volumes of clean vines to farmers through vine multipliers/farmer groups from whom the farmers buy.

• Creation of awareness along the quality sweetpotato planting material value chain (3 to 4 value chain actors).

Orange fleshed: White fleshed: Bioinnovate clones (20 cones under farmer participatory evaluation)

EjumulaEjumula Dimbuka

Kabode (SPK 004/6/6)Kabode (SPK 004/6/6) NASPOT 01

Kakamega (SPK004)Kakamega (SPK004) New Kawogo

Vita (SPK 004/6)Vita (SPK 004/6) Semanda

Elite varieties for pilot multiplication

A) In vitro rapid multiplication of sweetpotato in one of the culture rooms in the Makerere Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory. B) In vitro sweetpotato shoot multiplication, root induction and hardening in re-cycled baby food jars.

Tissue Culture Research at MAK TC LAB:Optimisation of protocols for in vitro rapid multiplication of sweetpotato varieties (New and SPVD tolerant varieties, and OFSP varieties)

Weaning of sweetpotato in the traditional weaning chambers as for bananas could only registered up to 50% survival rate. However, using recycled mineral water bottle though more cumbersome, registered over 95% survival.

Weaning and hardening could also be carried out in bottles to raise mini vines for micro-cuttings and establishment in the screenhouse.

Further hardening of tissue culture derived plantlets in plastic pots (A) or cups (B) after weaning in bottles.

Nursery multiplication of elite sweetpotato clones in a screenhouse at MUARIK (Kabanyolo).

Laboratory space

General lab (M2) 50

Transfer room (M2) 60

Laminar chambers (#) 5

Growth room (M2) 110

R & D Labs (M2) 46

• A Ugandan-based Agricultural company

• Established in 2008

• Provides high quality planting material, plant products and solutions

• Located at Kabaga, Wakiso District, 15 Km Bombo Road

About BIOCROPS (U) LTD

Insect proof screen house

Nuclear material

75 sqM floor

Nursery facilities

200 sqM floor

Vine multiplication

Banana Nursery 375 sqM floor

Annual production capacity

200,000 banana plantlets

200,000 sweetpotato vines (500 vine bags; UGX 10,000,000)

Creating Awareness: working through with vine multipliers

www.tclab.mak.ac.ug

Creating Awareness: working through with vine multipliers

Sweetpotato QPM Value Chain Actors

Virus test 100% 99% 95% 90%

Season 02 September December March

Season 01 March June September

TC Lab

Screen-house

Open field(s)

Farmers:

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

1 : 10 : 100

∞ 3 months 3 months

X 1-2X 2-4X n

Capacity: 40,000 TC plants (4,000 Acres)

3 – Tier level system for rapid multiplication of quality sweetpotato planting material

Key results and implications

• Protocol for rapid in vitro multiplication of sweetpotato• A 3-tier production, multiplication and delivery model was piloted in

Uganda.• Levels of awareness created among some commercial vine

multipliers.• A public-private patnership (MAK-BIOCROPS-HarvestPlus) created,

and this could used to further advance promotion of QPM. • Growers would access field multiplied materials from vine multipliers

in their respective growing zones.• We have attracted other partners: ASARECA (baseline, protocols),

ILRI (Passionfruit), BMGF (Cassava virus diagnostics).• However, for the sustainability of the sweetpotato seed system,

there is need to have policy support (MAAIF/ASARECA).

Looking ForwardLooking Forward

Thank YouThank You