The National Agricultural Innovation Program (NAIP), the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) and the International Potato Centre (CIP) have signed four agreements on the basis of the competitive funds available for strategic research with the goal of obtaining technical knowledge for the production of new potato varieties.
The agreements were signed by Benjamín Quijandría, executive director of NAIP and Bárbara Wells, General Director of the CIP. The funding amounts to 8 million Sol (2.15 million Euro), 5 million provided by the PNIA and 3 million by the CIP.
"Of the 107 winning projects, 4 of them belong to the CIP and have been developed with support from INIA researchers, who will strengthen their technical capabilities at national and international events," said Benjamín Quijandría, executive director of NAIP.
He also mentioned that, when the projects conclude, a part of the laboratory equipment will remain at the INIA to promote research in priority areas, both for the agricultural and forestry sectors.
The winning projects are:
1) Characterization of Phytopthorainfestans and Ralstoniasolanacearum populations in three agro-ecological regions of Peru, and strengthening of INIA's capacity for the continuous monitoring of the main pathogens of potatoes, which will receive 1,185,328.57 Sol (319,214.184 Euro) in funding from the PNIA.
2) Development of phytosanitary diagnostic methods to improve the distribution, repatriation and use of virus-free seeds of Oca, Olluco, Mashua and Yacón, which will receive 1,195,785.41 Sol (322,030.257 Euro).
3) Effective use of water for potato crops in arid areas, improving irrigation management with the monitoring of the water status to tackle climate change, with funding amounting to 1.2 million Sol (323,165.264 Euro).
4) Potato virome in Peru and strengthening of the capacity of INIA and the National Agricultural University La Molina (UNALM) to diagnose pathogens with state-of-the-art techniques, thus helping address the risk of diseases emerging as a result of global warming, with a budget of 1,199,498.03 Sol (323,030.081 Euro).
Source: andina.com.pe