Selected yam tubers for breeding and multiplication, gene bank recollection after TC Harold

Research programme · Ol rus kakae mo Kava · Plantes à racines et kava

Root Crops & Kava

Gud fama i nidim gud plant — good farmers deserve good plants

In 1998 Vanuatu's staple crops — taro, yam, sweet potato and cassava — and kava joined the Centre's mandate.[1]

The same year Dr Vincent Lebot (CIRAD) took charge of the root-crops improvement programme. He coordinated the regional taro (TANSAO) and yam (SPYN) networks and supervised Roger Malapa, who became the first ni-Vanuatu PhD in science.[2]

Dr Malapa's decade of breeding produced hybrid yams launched in 2017 — one, the wailu 'Dr Roger', is named after him, and 'White Waelu' honours Santo farmer White Sailas, who harvested 20 tonnes of yams in July 2019, about half of them White Waelu.[3]

After Tropical Cyclone Harold in 2020 the Root Crops Division recollected lost yam and taro varieties for the national gene bank.[4]

In July 2023 the Centre released 11 improved taro Fiji varieties and the island taro 'Vuxtamasao'.[5]

What we conserve

463 yam, 288 aroid, 330 cassava and 32 sweet-potato varieties — local, exotic and hybrid (2016)[7]
Characterisation with morpho-agronomic descriptors and molecular markers[7]

What we breed & study

Hybrid yams, including anthracnose-resistant breeding (2014)[8]
Improved and climate-ready taro varieties[5]
Kava: genetic control of kavalactone chemotypes and kava quality research[2]

What you can get

Planting material of yam, taro, sweet potato, navia and cassava[7]
Awareness and training on climate-ready crops and sustainable farming[7]

Achievements

Key results

Three hybrid yams, including 'Dr Roger', 'White Waelu' and 'Jerome', launched in 2017[3]

11 improved taro Fiji varieties and island taro 'Vuxtamasao' released, 2023[5]

Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Yam Genetic Resources (Crop Trust, 2021), lead author V. Lebot (CIRAD/CTRAV)[6]

In the field

Taro and aroid field trial plot with a technician

Floriane Lawac (VARTC Root Crops), Tari Molisalé (DARD) and Edilbert Telukluk with collected root crops, 2020

Taro and aroid corms collected for the gene bank

A pile of yam varieties for the gene bank

Launch of the hybrid wailu yam 'Dr Roger' at the 2017 Penama yam festival

Library blong VARTC

Related publications

1,122 records in the Knowledge Hub relate to this programme. VARTC and former-name work (IRHO, IRCC, CARFV, CTRAV) is marked ★ and listed first.

★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–VARTC · CIRAD · INRAE · Montpellier univ. · UNC / IAC · 2026
Genetic diversity and morphological variation of aibika [Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik.] in Melanesia
Lawac, Floriane; Labouisse, Jean-Pierre; Rivallan, Ronan; Molgos, Rosanne; Paofa, Janet; Robert, Nadia; Lebot, Vincent — Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
- Horticulture & vegetables
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
- Root crops & tubers
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–VARTC · CIRAD · INRAE · Montpellier univ. · UNC / IAC · 2026
Shotgun sequencing data and SSR mining data of aibika (Abelmoschus manihot, Malvaceae)
Rivallan, Ronan; Garavito, Andrea; Lawac, Floriane; Robert, Nadia; Paofa, Janet; Labouisse, Jean-Pierre — Data in Brief
- Horticulture & vegetables
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
- Root crops & tubers
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–CIRAD · Montpellier univ. · University (other) · 2025
Acquisition de connaissances approfondies sur la génétique de l'espèce Dioscorea alata pour la production de variétés à haut rendement et de qualité
Arnau, Gemma — Université de Montpellier
- Root crops & tubers
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
CIRAD Agritrop record ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–VARTC · CIRAD · 2025
Constraints to participatory plant breeding and participatory variety selection of tropical root and tuber crops: A review
Lebot, Vincent; Viquez Zamora, Carlos — Euphytica
- Root crops & tubers
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
- Pests & diseases
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–CIRAD · INRAE · Montpellier univ. · University (other) · 2025
Geographical origin and cultivar differentiation of Kava ( Piper methysticum ) using Artificial Neural Network with FTIR Spectroscopy: A Novel Method
Ronick Spenly Shadrack; Daniel Tari; Hancy Tabi; Jacinta Botleng; Rolina Kelep; Ladyshia Regenvanu; Mowa Pakoasongi; Edword Butjukabwaelep; Galana Siro; Atan et al. — bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
- Kava
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–VARTC · CIRAD · INRAE · Montpellier univ. · University (other) · 2024
Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) genetic resources and breeding: a review of 50 years of research efforts
Lebot, Vincent; Ivancic, Anton; Lawac, Floriane — Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
- Root crops & tubers
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
- Horticulture & vegetables
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–University (other) · 2024
Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources with reference to the Pacific Island Countries
Shipra Shah; Hemalatha Palanivel; Andrew McGregor — Sustainable development and biodiversity
- Root crops & tubers
- Fruit & nuts
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)
★ VARTCVARTC/CTRAV 2003–VARTC · CIRAD · INRAE · Montpellier univ. · University (other) · 2024
The lesser yam Dioscorea esculenta Burkill: a neglected crop with high functional food potential
Lebot, Vincent; Abraham, Kuttolamadathil; Melteras, Marie — Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution
- Root crops & tubers
- Climate, biodiversity & genetic resources
- Horticulture & vegetables
Open DOI ↗ (opens in a new tab)

See all Root Crops & Kava publications →

In the news

Vanuatu Daily Post (Anita Roberts)15 Jul 2023

First VARTC Strategic Plan launched

Minister Nako Natuman launches the Strategic Plan 2023–27; releases include the VTT × Rennell coconut, 11 taro Fiji varieties, island taro 'Vuxtamasao' and Charolais/Brahman cattle.

strategy
varieties

Read at Vanuatu Daily Post ↗ (opens in a new tab)

VARTC team with villagers at Nuvi village, East Epi, collecting germplasm (2021)

Vanuatu Daily Post23 Jun 2023

Preserving genetic diversity of root and tuber crops in Vanuatu

Head of Root & Tuber Crops Floriane Lawac on conserving yams, cassava, taro, coconut, cocoa, coffee and livestock breeds.

gene bank
root crops

Read at Vanuatu Daily Post ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Vanuatu Daily Post11 Jun 2020

FSAC and VARTC to conserve root crops genetic resources

After TC Harold, VARTC's Root Crops Division recollects lost yam and taro varieties from relief shipments for the national gene bank.

gene bank
cyclone
root crops

Read at Vanuatu Daily Post ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Root Crops & Kava

What we conserve

What we breed & study

What you can get

Key results

In the field

Related publications

Genetic diversity and morphological variation of aibika [Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik.] in Melanesia

Shotgun sequencing data and SSR mining data of aibika (Abelmoschus manihot, Malvaceae)

Acquisition de connaissances approfondies sur la génétique de l'espèce Dioscorea alata pour la production de variétés à haut rendement et de qualité

Constraints to participatory plant breeding and participatory variety selection of tropical root and tuber crops: A review

Geographical origin and cultivar differentiation of Kava ( Piper methysticum ) using Artificial Neural Network with FTIR Spectroscopy: A Novel Method

Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) genetic resources and breeding: a review of 50 years of research efforts

Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources with reference to the Pacific Island Countries

The lesser yam Dioscorea esculenta Burkill: a neglected crop with high functional food potential

In the news

First VARTC Strategic Plan launched

Preserving genetic diversity of root and tuber crops in Vanuatu

FSAC and VARTC to conserve root crops genetic resources

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