Authors : P. Fonoti , M.P. Tofinga and D.G. Hunter
Abstract: The arrival of leaf blight in Samoa in 1993 devastated taro production in the country. Initial fungicidal efforts to manage the disease failed. Breeding taro for resistance to the disease was determined as the only long-term solution to the problem. A breeding programme, based on recurrent selection, was initiated in 1996 using exotic and traditional cultivars as parents. Breeding cycle 1 was screened for resistance to leaf blight during 1998 and 1999. Thirty clones were identified with good resistance to leaf blight and vigour. Following taste test evaluations 10 clones were selected for further multiplication and evaluation. MAFFM have officially released 6 of the clones to farmers. Clones C1-298 (Nu�u 16), C1-81 (Nu�u 5), C1-328 (Nu�u 21) and C1-40 (Talo Seve) yielded higher than the reference variety, PSB-G2, at the majority of sites in on-farm trials.
P. Fonoti , M.P. Tofinga and D.G. Hunter , 2008. Screening a Cycle 1 Breeding Population of Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) For Resistance to Taro Leaf Blight in Samoa. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 3: 888-891.