|
Poverty
reduction through introduction of tissue cultured bananas in central
Kenya
E.
Kahangi
This
project broadly involves conducting a participatory rural appraisal
(PRA) to establish distribution and marketing of tissue cultured (TC)
banana in Mt. Kenya region. Other activities include the collection of
farmer-preferred local banana varieties, molecular characterisation, and
in vitro conservation. Selection
of pilot sites was the first step for the PRA study. Pilot districts
were selected based on the extent of ecological zones (UM1, UM2, and UM3
with irrigation projects), the proximity of the district to Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), and/or the
presence of tissue-cultured (TC) banana in the district. The actual
pilot sites were selected in ecological zones UM2, UM1 or UM3 under
irrigation. The selection was based on banana production level, ease of
access to farmers in adjoining areas, the availability of irrigation and
the presence of organised and acceptable social groups engaged in
agricultural activities. Reconnaissance
surveys at the selected sites was performed through visits and
discussions held at the provincial, district and divisional agriculture
offices. The PRA at Kagarii (Nyeri) is now complete while those of the
other pilot sites are in progress. The genomic characterisation of local
Kenyan banana (Musa Spp.) germplasm using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism
(AFLP) technique consisted of assembling the laboratory genomic analysis
material. An import permit has been obtained from Kenya Plant Health
Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and sent to International Network for the
Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) centre for importation of 6
banana accessions to be used as standards.
Some banana suckers have been obtained from the farmers’ fields
after characterisation and ranking according to preferences.
Concurrently, DNA extraction has been evaluated using ‘Kisii matoke’
and ‘Giant Cavendish’ varieties in efforts to optimise the AFLP
protocol. The Genome star and CTAB methods have been used during the
evaluation. The CTAB method has so far given the best results and has
therefore been recommended for DNA extraction.
|
