NARI Research and Development Projects
Genetic Resources
2. Collection and Management of Plant Genetic Resources - Highlands
Papua New Guinea is endowed with a rich genetic diversity of indigenous food crop species and varieties, including those of sweet potato, banana and cassava, that need to be safe-guarded from loss, evaluated and kept available for future use to ensure sustained food availability. Diversity on-farm is constantly being lost due to biased selection by farmers of popular cultivars for consumption and for selling in urban markets. Old landraces or farmer cultivars are being replaced by new superior varieties or hybrids. Maintaining genetic diversity in institutional field collections is one sure way of ensuring that the rich diversity within indigenous food crops is not lost.
The diversity of sweet potato, banana and cassava found in the highlands has been collected and is being safely managed and maintained in field collections at Aiyura. The Institute’s main sweet potato collection is maintained at Aiyura together with collections of banana and cassava varieties showing resistance to the effects of drought.
Project Funder: NARI
Implementing Programme: Integrated Natural Resource Management
Project Cordination Centre: Highlands Regional Centre – Aiyura
Project Duration: On-going