AFACI Program Workshop on Food Crops, September 20-24, 2016, in Cambodia

COUNTRY REPORT

Technology Dissemination of Virus free Seed Potato Production using Hydroponic Production systems

Country: Mongolia

Principal Investigator: Ninjmaa Orgodol

Organization: Institute of Plant and Agricultural Sciences (IPAS)

Project duration: July 2016- June 2019

1. Introduction

Mongolia’s economy is dominated by its agricultural sector providing GDP averaged 375082.45 MNT Million from 2010-2016 year as a reported by the National Statistical Office. However, the high altitude, extreme fluctuation in temperature, long winters and low precipitation provides limited potential for agricultural development.

Mongolian crop production area can be classified into 5 zones, namely Central, Highland, Western, Eastern and Desert region (fig1). At present, an arable land has 1269.498 hectare and 740 732 hectare or 58.3 % from total arable land are used for agriculture.

Fig.1. Crop production zones in Mongolia

-Highland - Central

-Desert -Western

- Eastern -Agricultural Research Institute

Main crops like wheat, potato, vegetables and fruit trees are produced in the central crop production region. Therefore, central crop production area will be selected for seed potato project.

The potato is main food and cash crop in Mongolia. Potato planting area for last 10 years has been increased from 9.6 to 12.7 thousand hectare. Due to increasing planting area the potato production has been increased and annual average yield for last 5 years was 192.301 thousand tonnes(Tabl 1).

Tabl1. Potato production for last 5 years

Source: Report of Mongolian potato programme.2015

In comparison of those years, the potato import decreased year by year and the export restarted from 2013. In 2014 year, 4200 tonnes potato has been exported to Russia.

In 2005-2014 years Mongolian Potato Program implemented successfully and facilitated a supply system for high-quality seeds produced by licensed large-scale companies to informal seed multipliers at the aimag and soum levels (fig2).

The highlight to this success was the revitalization of the whole system of potato seed production, moving away from the old planned system of variety testing and seed production.

The varieties

The improved varieties, being more drought resistant, maturing earlier and producing higher yields well adapted in Mongolian condition. At present, seven new varieties such as Impala, Solist, Gala, Quarta, Vitara, Borwina and Sante have been introduced and middle-early maturing varieties reached up to 76% (fig 3).

№ Year Yield(thousand tonnes)

1 2011 199.2182 2012 242.7503 2013 190.1724 2014 164.0915 2015 165.2736 Average 192.301

Fig2. Potato production area Fig.3.Potato varieties

Potato market

According to FAO calculations, the annual per capital consumption rate is 51 kg of potatoes and 75 kg of vegetables. Based on this calculation, Mongolia’s annual consumption needs for potatoes are 185,000 tones: 140,000 tones for consumption and 45,000 tones for seeds. Mongolia has been able to meet national consumption needs since 2009.

Now IPAS (Institute of Agricultural and Plant Science, in Darkhan) is producing virus-free mini-tubers using tissue-culture technology in potato seed production. However, the locally produced high-quality seeds were not enough to meet the domestic demand and it is covered only 50 percent. Import of super-elite seeds from Germany and the Netherlands is enabled the provision of high-quality potato seeds to local seed multipliers within a short period of time.

The objective of this project is to increase potato seed production and improve the quality of seed through capacity building and introduce new technology to produce potato mini-tubers under controlled conditions.

Project Activities: Supply of hydroponic cultivation facilities to be used for proliferation of

seed-potatoes.

Mass production for proliferation of certificated healthy seed-potatoes by net-house cultivation.

Monitoring of virus infection in seed-potatoes produced in the country and technical support for molecular diagnostics of potato virus.

Activities of the project will be implemented for 3 years (2016-2018).

2. Main Activities 1st year

Location and climate condition of experimental site

The experiment will be conducted at IPAS in Darkhan-Uul province, which is located in north of the country or at the latitude 49029/ north and longitude 105056/

east and elevated at 705 m above the sea level. This area belonged to Central cropping zone of Mongolia.

The climate condition is continental and 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Temperature is in summer 400C - 50C and in winter -350C - 70C. Annual precipitation ranges 200-350mm. The difference of air temperature between the day and night time is too high. It has been reached avobe10 degrees even in summer.

From the beginning of August until middle of November is suitable period for seed potato production by hydroponics as well as showed the result of experience for producing mini-tubers used aeroponic method.

In this cropping zone, a four-year seed potato multiplication scheme was adopted. There are already IPAS has tissue culture laboratory equipped with aeroponic facilities.

The Plant Biotechnology laboratory produces annually 12000-15000 plantlets and 80000-100000 mini-tubers as an initial seed material for virus free seed potato production. The potato virus elimination has done through combination of thermotherapy & meristem culture and infections controlled by ELISA test.

The project aimed to introduce new technology for virus free potato seed production using Hydroponic systems firstly in Mongolia.

Tabl 2. Management plan of activities 1st year of the project

Activities Time Budget

Preparation of virus free potato tissue

Selection of suitable varieties for seed production using hydroponic system

July -August

3000Preparation and Virus and disease elimination of explant material

September - November

In vitro culture of explants and micro-propagation of plantlets

From November

Remodeling greenhouse

Improvement of maintenance system of greenhouse facilities /sun shadow, electricity and heating system /

July- December 7000

Capacity building

Training staffs and project meeting workshop

SeptemberNovemberor March

4000

Occurrence and control of pests/ disease

There was observed 5 species of virus transmission vector such as Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypi, Aphis fabae, Thrips tabaci and Polimerus cognatus. But aphids are not colonized in the open field. The most prevalent and destructive one is bug, because of damaged leaves has infection with PVY. Also, some beetles Epicauta sibirica, E.megalocephaly are related to most common potato leaf damaged insects.

The chemical method was effective against the insects. The applying insecticides - Actara 0.06 kg/ha, Karate- 0.3l/ha was useful and yellow trip has been used in the greenhouses.

Spread of fungal diseases caused by Alternaria solani has been recorded 13.1-25.4% during the growing season. For controlling of them used several fungicide such as Mankozeb 2kg/ha, Ridomil gold and Bacillus subtilis (phytosporin-M) 2.5kg/ha and Ridomil gold has highest effectiveness ratе.

Target cultivar for hydroponics

Some varieties are more suitable to certain profiles of the market than others; some are more successful due to climate and location. Based on results of our experiments for mini-tuber production, used an aeroponic systems we made the selection of suitable cultivar for seed potato.

The selected varieties Gala and Quarta are locally well adapted and approved, being more drought resistant, disease resistant, maturing earlier and producing high yields. Some characteristics of those varieties have been written in table 3.

Tabl 3. Characteristics of selected varieties

Name of varieties

Maturity Flesh color

Tuber shape

Harvestdamage

Average yield Purpose

Dry matter content

Gala Medium early

Medium to dark yellow

Oval round

Not sensitive

High Fresh consumption

18-20%

Quarta Medium early

Deep yellow

Oval,with red

eyes

Not sensitive

High Fresh and mashed potato

17-20%

Resistance to diseaseName ofvarieties

Erwina Common Scab

Late Blight-tuber

internal bruising

PLRV PVY Wart disease 1

Gala Moderately Good Moderately Good Resistant

Quarta High Medium Good low Mediumto high

Resistant

Seed potato quality control and management

Due to increasing potato production areas in Mongolia, it is required to improve quality of potato seed material. In other hand, potato virus infection has increased, because of effect of high temperature during the growing season.

Using ELISA method surveys were made in seed potato production area to determine potato virus infection. The samples from major seed potato production areas were tested using DAS-ELISA for PLRY and PVY. Result revealed heavy infection of PLRY in the some samples. Even the potato seed farmers are used the methods; rogueing virus diseased plants and use insecticides to control virus transmission vectors, the quality of seed is not high.Although the quality control system is not perfect, and still needs to be improved in many aspects, it is already showing results.Seed potato farmers are essential to use qualified seed and consider seed renovation.However, technologies for virus detection and quality control are still under development.

3. Results and discussion

Remodeling of greenhouse at the experimental station

Improvement of maintenance system of greenhouse facilities /sun shadow, electricity and heating system/ will be started from September.

Preparation of virus free potato tissue

Based on results of our experiments for mini-tuber production and main characteristics such as early maturity, high productivity, disease resistant and marketable of varieties we made the selection. Target varieties for hydroponics are Gala and Quarta.

The healthy plants of each variety marked in the greenhouse and seed multiplication plots in flowering stage of potato.

The biggest typical tubers from marked plants will be harvested in first decade of September.

The potato virus elimination will be done through combination of thermotherapy & meristem culture and infections controlled by DAS-ELISA test. The plantlets will be used as a source of explants for production process.

Enhance human resource

Capacity building and technology transfer for the improvement of potato seed quality is a major component of the project.

It is needed to study and practice on Virus free Seed Potato Production using Hydroponic Production systems in Korea.

4. Suggestion

One year cropping season and extreme climate condition in the country is limited growing period. There is required to do acclimatization of plantlets before transplanting to greenhouse for hydroponic and additional heating system is needed in the greenhouse.

5. Project impact & recommendations

The activities of practice and handling the management of hydroponic techniques should be done in the growing season.

6. Future plan for the project

Remodeling of greenhouse at the experimental station will be continued and improved in next year.

Small-scale hydroponic cultivation facilities for the production of seed potatoes would be supplied and equipped to the proper greenhouse (should be provided)

The in vitro plantlets of potato varieties will be used as an initial seed material.

Technical support for tissue culture, hydroponic culture and virus detection will be done.

1-2 staff will be trained in operating facilities for seed-potato production and virus diagnostics.

Pilot production of virus-free seed potatoes by hydroponics will be done.

Mass production of healthy seed-potatoes by net-house cultivation will be done

Controlling and monitoring of virus infection in seed-potatoes produced in the country should be implemented.

Time line of the project activities

Activity and time line2016 2017 2018

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Remodeling of greenhouse at the experimental station

Virus and disease elimination by tissue culture

Pilot production of virus-free seed potatoes by hydroponics

Mass production of healthy seed-potatoes by net-house cultivation