28 Nov 2005

New taro varieties being trialled in American Samoa

2:08 pm on 28 November 2005

American Samoans may soon benefit from new taro varieties being offered by the local Community College.

Dr Fred Brooks says they have a new taro evaluation program modeled after the successful Taro Improvement Project of the University of the South Pacific in Samoa.

Dr Brooks says unlike breeding programs where the government decides which taro varieties to release, selected farmers will grow these new varieties and decide which taro they prefer.

He says American Samoa does not have a plant breeding program so new taro varieties must come from off-island.

Several leaf blight resistant varieties from Samoa's breeding program have recently appeared in the territory.