Growing drought-tolerant crops

 By JAMES LARAKI

DROUGHT tolerant crops play an important role in any long term strategies towards drought preparedness. 

Making available such crops allows the rural people to add other crops to their collections that can withstand drought condition. 

Cassava and banana such Kalapua and Yawa are some crops that have been observed to do well under drought conditions. 

NARI, in its efforts to developing adaptation technologies for vulnerable areas, has identified a number of crops that are drought tolerant. 

A number of trials and observations on performance of a number of crop varieties after the 1997/98 drought led to the recommendation of some promising varieties of sweet potato, banana, and cassava to the farming community.

Sweet potato varieties

Sweet potato is an important staple in Papua New Guinea, especially in the highlands. 

Identifying drought tolerant varieties will ensure there is food available even during droughts. 

NARI identified and recommended nine drought tolerant sweet potato varieties which have shown promise for drought tolerance for both the lowlands and highlands. 

These varieties are available and farmers are encouraged to plant these varieties all the time. 

It is too late to plant these varieties after a drought has begun. 

It is wise to grow more than one crop where possible, in case some crops fail. 

Cultivation of other drought tolerant crops such as cassava and banana (Kalapua and Yawa) are recommended. 

Most of the drought tolerant varieties are early, which is an advantage for planting during recovery phase after a drought. 

Banana varieties

The banana varieties that survived the 1997 drought were mainly from the Kalapua, Yawa and Cavendish groups. 

Cavendish was introduced into PNG for their commercial possibilities. 

Other banana groups did not do well.

Although there were no trials done to select these varieties for drought tolerance, recommendations have been made based on observations from collections done after the 1997/98 drought. 

Observations on performance of these varieties were done at the PNG Banana Germplasm Collection site at Laloki, in Central. The three banana groups have shown to be hardy and can withstand prolonged dry periods and bear good fruits. 

The Yawa and Cavendish are known dessert bananas, while the Kalapuas are mostly cooking bananas, but can be eaten fresh when ripe.

Cassava varieties

Cassava is a drought tolerant crop that can survive extended periods of low rain fall. 

It is a major root crop in Fiji and Tonga. 

In PNG, It is less important than sweet potato, yam, and taro.

But in recent years, the importance of cassava has increased due to it being a hardy drought tolerant crop that gives acceptable yields on low fertile soil. Its popularity has increased in the highlands since the 1997/98 drought event. 

In the past cassava was seen as a pig feed in the highlands.

Nine varieties have been re­commended for both the lowlands (four) and highlands (five). 

These varieties have been selected from the existing collections held by NARI. 

Most of the varieties have been retained from the past research work done by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.

Cassava can be grown all year round and the excess tubers can be processed into various products that can store better than fresh tubers. 

Increased planting of the crop in the dried parts of available land is encouraged during pre-drought period, though it is better if cassava crops are included in gardens in all seasons. 

In the lowlands it takes about 8–10 months from planting to harvest. 

Harvesting can be delayed by some weeks after maturity, but if left too long roots become fibrous and unpalatable. 

Cassava roots contain cyanide, which is a poison that can be destroyed by cooking; however the varieties recommended are low in cyanide and can be safely consumed after boiling.

Identifying drought tolerant crops is among many long term strategies for drought preparedness. 

But drought tolerant does not mean that these recommended varieties do not need water. 

Where needed management practices such as mulching is necessary to help reduce soil moisture loss. 

Over the long term, people are encouraged to plant a wide variety of staple foods, some of which mature quickly and those that can tolerate low soil moisture conditions.