Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development CARD Project Progress Report 025/06VIE Improvement of Vietnamese vegetable production using GAP principles for seed and seedling production and superior hybrid varieties MILESTONE 9 PROJECT VALIDATION AND CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT 2 Introduction The project review visits were conducted from December 2009 and completed in March 2010. In November 2009, Robert Spooner-Hart and FAVRI staff visited a number of project FFS in 6 provinces to discuss progress with the sub-PPD (SPPD) staff, farmer participants and to visit the field demonstration sites. These activities were undertaken to assess results and how they might impact on adoption of project outcomes. This followed earlier visits to FFS in the first season, and the TOT at the end of the first season’s FFS. In February-March, 2010, Robert Spooner-Hart, together with Tony Haigh (UWS) and Peter Hanson (AVRDC), reviewed the progress and the status of hybrid vegetable seed evaluation and production, particularly by SSC and FAVRI. They visited sites in Southern, Central Highlands and Northern Viet Nam. Robert Spooner-Hart and FAVRI staff subsequently surveyed farmer participants and SPPD staff in 4 provinces: 2 in the Red River Delta (Hai Phong and Thai Binh) and 2 on the Central Coast (Quang Nam and Da Nang). In June 2007, Robert Spooner-Hart and Oleg Nicetic with FAVRI staff, conducted a baseline study of seed and seedling producers and SPPD staff in 3 regions of Viet Nam: the Red River Delta, (Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc provinces) Central Coast (Quang Nam and Da Nang) and Lam Dong. In each province, survey questionnaires were used to gather information from tomato, cucumber producers and seedling producers, using a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach. Data collected included current crop varieties grown, key pests and diseases, and yield and quality and costs and returns. In addition, the knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices of the target farmers to GAP in the context of vegetable production was also assessed. The interview forms for farmers, which were a combination of questions previously asked in the baseline survey, together with their view on project outcomes relating specifically to themselves. 3 Review of activities and current status of activities at end of project 1. Southern Seed Company Members of the project team met with SSC staff in December 2009 and February 2010 and, on both occasions, discussed progress with regard to capacity building in production of F1 hybrid tomato seed and understanding of GAP within the company as well as progress toward registration and supply of new, disease-resistant tomato varieties from the project. For images of SSC activities, please see Fig.1. The review team visited the 3 SSC field sites described in the Baseline Survey, namely Long An, Lam Dong and Hung Yen, in late February 2010. The overall quality of evaluation trials was assessed as very good by the team, and demonstrated a high level of competence shown by staff at SSC. Two issues identified by the project team, however, was the lack of use of grafted plant material in the trial sites, and the use of commercial seed (particularly check varieties) which had received a seed treatment, when comparing with performance of non-commercial cultivars which had not received seed treatment. These were not regarded as major issues by SSC, because the land for evaluations had not been previously used for tomato production, so bacterial wilt should not have been a problem. However, this will be a policy they will now consider in future trials. There have been 3 seasons of evaluation trials by SSC during the project. The project has been able to identify, via SSC activities, two superior F1 hybrid varieties from the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), WVCT2 and WVCT8, which have proved to be as good as many of SSC current varieties, performed well against the industry standard Savior (RRD and HCMC) and Anna (Lam Dong), and have good market acceptability. They are also highly tolerant of TYLCV. While in Lam Dong, the project team inspected the hybrid seed production site. Again, the team were impressed with the level of expertise shown. We quizzed SSC as to the likely cost of seed of the new varieties vs the industry standards, Savior (South) or Anna (Lam Dong). They believe the price to farmers will be 70,000 VND (~$US 3.50) for 5 grams seed, compared with 120,000 VND (~ $US 6.00) for Savior. They estimate it will cost them $US 100-120 /kg to produce the seed. They are, as yet, unclear as to the size of the market for their varieties. They will sell both the F1 4 hybrid seed and bacterial wilt-resistant rootstock seeds, and will recommend use of grafted seedlings in disease-prone districts. The company confirmed its commitment to submit an application to register at least one of the varieties through MARD, hopefully by December 2010. To this end, SSC is currently (mid 2010) conducting final evaluation of 2 varieties to generate data for application for registration to the Evaluation Committee MARD, and is establishing 10 demonstration plots for farmers and seed buyers in North Vietnam, Lam Dong and the Mekong Delta. In addition, they indicated that they are incorporating disease resistance genes (especially against TYLCV- the major disease targeted in CARD 06/025) into an expanding tomato breeding program for Vietnam. There is no doubt that there has been significant capacity development within SSC with respect to tomato evaluation, F1 hybrid production and breeding during the project period. This was most evident in Mr Tuan, who was our key contact in the organisation and was the SSC representative to visit Australia on the study tour. The company also recognises the need for capacity development in their staff, and paid for a recently-appointed tomato breeder Mr. Tang Duc Hung, to visit AVRDC for training in advanced breeding techniques, such as use of molecular markers, tomato inbred line evaluation, and breeding for resistance to other key tomato diseases, such as bacterial wilt and late blight. This training has now been completed, and SSC is looking forward to breeding new multi-disease resistant F1 hybrid tomato varieties for Vietnam. 3. PVFC During our visit to Lam Dong, the project review team met with the project coordinator from that institution, Dr PX Tung. While Dr Tung’s background and primary interest has been in potato production, it was extremely pleasing to see that he had developed, by the end of the project, a tomato breeding program to produce varieties resistant to bacterial blight and late blight as well as TYLCV. He had been running this program for the past 2 seasons, with greenhouse and field evaluations. He showed us his current field evaluation site, the assessment of which is being assisted by Ms Hang, a Masters student from Da Lat university (See Fig. 1).The breeding program commenced with 36 crosses, of which 16 were selected for further 5 assessment. The current investigations include a further 34 evaluations. Selection is being made for yield, fruit quality and disease resistance. This outcome was not part of the original project but it demonstrates both the improved capacity of PVFC and a strong interest in development of superior tomato varieties for Vietnamese conditions. It also demonstrates a response beyond the original focus on TYLCV, in light of actual experiences from the project activities (namely, loss of evaluation plots from late blight). Further demonstration of the capacity improvement includes the training of a Masters student in tomato variety evaluation in Vietnam and AVRDC. UWS will financially assist Ms Hang to undergo a training course on tomato breeding and varietal evaluation of late blight resistance, in November 2010. 4. Seedling production The project team also met Nguyen Hong Phong, Duc Trong district in Lam Dong, the vegetable seedling producer who assisted in the project. He provided access to his production facility for the TOT and Industry training workshops at Lam Dong, as well as producing the grafted tomato seedlings for the FFS in Lam Dong and, in the second season, for Da Nang and Quang Nam. The project team was impressed to see how Mr Phong’s business had developed during just over three years of the project- it had expanded with improved technology, but also with improved record keeping and implementation of worker occupational health practices. However, it was difficult to determine how much of this was achieved as a result of his association with the project. We discussed with Mr Phong what he had achieved from his involvement in the project. He stated that he had widened his network of researchers and extension staff he had increased his awareness of the tomato production industry beyond Lam Dong. He also stated that the discussion of GAP, especially practical implementation, had helped him and his wife to improve their record keeping practices. He was unclear about implementation of GAP certification of his company, because he is selling plants to other farmers and certification does not seem relevant at this time. He invited us into his very impressive recently constructed home, and expressed his gratitude for being allowed to participate in the project. There is no doubt that his business will continue to be the leading vegetable seedling producer in Lam Dong, and possibly in Vietnam, and that it will be a demonstration of good technical, 6 business and organisational ability. Images of Mr Phong’s production facilities are presented in Fig. 2. 5. FAVRI The project evaluation team visited FAVRI on February 24, 25 and 26, 2010. We received presentations of the activities and outputs of FAVRI with respect to the project, and visited field sites for production of hybrid tomato and cucumber seed. Tomato seed production We first reviewed tomato variety evaluation and production of F1 hybrids. Several of the AVRDC varieties (in particular WVCT2 and WVCT8) had performed well when compared to the industry standard varieties, P375 (Known You Seeds) and Perfect (Syngenta Seeds). In the first season, FAVRI was able to obtain total yield and marketable yields, but was total yield only in the second season, because of severe late blight attack. This problem, which was similar to that reported for Lam Dong evaluation trials, demonstrates the need for multi-disease resistant tomato varieties, particularly during the off (rainy) season. This problem may be exacerbated (and, thus, there will be an even more pressing need to manage it) if seasonal rainfall patterns in Vietnam are modified as a result of climate change. The team then visited the field where hybrid seed was being produced, and which Robert Spooner-Hart had visited in November. There was a quite high level of disease (not TYLCV), particularly the foliar/fruit fungal diseases Alternaria blight and late blight in the block. This was probably a result of unfavourable weather and proximity to other tomato evaluation trials. This problem will have to be overcome if FAVRI wishes to produce commercial quantities of high quality tomato seeds for sale to farmers. It was clear from the earlier pilot production of F1 hybrids during the project that FAVRI has the expertise to produce hybrid tomato seed. However, to date they have not sold tomato seeds, and it remains to be determined if they have the appropriate facilities and location to produce them and distribute commercially. Never-the-less, while SSC has demonstrated that they are willing and able to commercially produce hybrid tomato seed, it is a good outcome that FAVRI also has 7 the capacity to do so. Images of the (early stages) of the hybrid tomato production site in November 2009 are presented in Fig.3. Cucumber seed production The review team was also briefed on the cucumber variety evaluation and production of F1 hybrids. Evaluations were conducted by FAVRI over 3 seasons, and were based on fresh market, not processing, varieties. FAVRI’s F1 variety CV5 demonstrated superior performance with regard to yield, market acceptability and disease resistance, over the industry standard variety, Amata (Chia Seed Co), as well as two SSC varieties, CUC777 and CUC 6110. It should be pointed out, however, that these evaluations were conducted in Northern Vietnam, and CV5 did not perform as well, nor did it have high market acceptance in Southern Vietnam (as shown in Dr Vinh’s variety evaluation at Cu Chi). CV5 was registered with MARD as a cucumber variety during the course of the project, as some previous evaluations had been conducted by FAVRI prior to commencement of CARD 06/025. Its previous good performance meant it was selected as a candidate for the broad variety evaluation trials conducted as part of the current project. The team then visited the cucumber hybrid seed production facilities at FAVRI. The team was impressed with the facilities, the quality of the production as well as the post-harvest handling (see Fig. 3). During the course of the project, FAVRI adopted the technology of hermetically sealing the hybrid cucumber seed in labelled packets, whereas at the commencement of the seed was often distributed in unlabelled plastic bags. In addition, sales of CV5 have significantly improved during the period of the project, in part due to the demonstrated superiority of this variety in evaluation trials and FFS demonstration plots which were a key component of the project. FAVRI sold approximately 50 kg of CV5 seed over the past 12 months, and believes this will increase by at least 20-25% in the coming year. The uptake of this variety by farmers has been undoubtedly facilitated by the increased professionalism associated with sale of this product and the provision of advice and support by FAVRI staff. 8 Fig 1. Field evaluation trials SSC evaluation trials and hybrid breeding at Lam Dong SSC evaluation trials in Hung Yen Dr Tung describing his tomato breeding evaluation trials in Lam Dong to Peter Hanson (AVRDC) and Tony Haigh (UWS) 9 Fig 2. Mr Phong’s Seedling Nursery, Lam Dong Tomato seedling production Grafting of tomato seedlings Grafted tomato seedlings Farmer collecting seedlings from despatch section 10 Fig.3. Hybrid seed production at FAVRI Tomato hybrid production plot, FAVRI (Nov 2009) More advanced tomato hybrid production plot at FAVRI, with CARD tomato breeder, Ms Thuy (Nov 2009) Hybrid cucumber seed production (CV5) at FAVRI, with CARD cucumber breeder, Ms Hahn [...]... cost for grafted seedlings is 850 VND (eggplant-FAVRI) and 450 VND (tomato-Mr Phong), whereas the cost for non-grafted seedlings is 350 VND This means that the price differential is 500 and 100 VND, respectively Farmers plant between 1 5-2 0,000 seedlings/ha So the cost for using the grafting technology is between 1. 5-7 .0M VND/ha This results in an estimated increased profit of over 90 M VND/ha This profit.. .Seedling production At the commencement of the project, it was envisaged that the commercial arm of FAVRI (CIDHOP) would, through the project, become a key producer of tomato seedlings for the Red River delta CIDHOP had facilities for tomato seedling production and had sold several thousand seedlings in the previous year Shortly after the commencement of the project, CIDHOP was... production is more developed and use of grafted tomatoes is common, PVFC responded with: 5 Farmers have a better understanding of IPDM practices for tomato seedling and fruit production, and 6 Inception of GAP practices for vegetable production to technicians and farmers What were the best things about the project? The responses to this question were: 1 The good cooperation and understanding between scientists... different varieties, all tomato demonstration plots compared grafted and non-grafted seedlings FAVRI produced and supplied grafted (on diseaseresistant eggplant) tomato seedlings to all FFS demonstration blocks in the Red River Delta, and to Da Nang and Quang Nam in the first season Mr Phong, vegetable 13 seedling producer from Lam Dong, produced grafted (on disease-resistant tomato) seedlings for FFS... as the scion and the costs for seedlings were not too high The project budget paid for the production and transport of the seedlings from Mr Phong The cost for grafted seedlings from Mr Phong (450 VND), and farmers in Quang Nam have generally produced their own seedlings, at minimal cost With regard to cucumber, the farmers preferred the variety Trang Nong 133 (SSC) It performed well in the demonstration... choosing the best pesticide for control of pests and disease ( 69% ), keeping accurate records of farm activities (63%) and using grafted tomatoes (57%) Those with the lowest score were pruning tomatoes (44%) and applying GAP (25%) These results are interesting, and probably reflect the skills and experience of SPPD staff, and the design and implementation of the demonstration blocks For example, SPPD staff... means the production of Mr Phong) Grafted seedlings are sold for 850 VND/plant, compared with approximately 300 VND for non-grafted plants The majority of the grafted seedlings are produced for off-season cropping This is, at least in part, because fruit harvest is delayed by several weeks in eggplant-grafted tomatoes, providing weather conditions are ideal and the area does not have a history of bacterial... tomatoes Never-the-less, it was clear that FAVRI had significantly improved their capacity in production and distribution of commercial quantities of tomato seedlings during the project Their output over the last year was approximately 2 million grafted seedlings, a substantial increase over CIDHOP’s production at the beginning of the project, and is starting to approach production of some of the Lam... FAVRI When we asked how the production could be practically implemented in Thai Binh, they suggested that they would encourage the farmers to form a co-operative and build a net house for production of grafted seedlings We also discussed the interim option of the subPPD organising with farmers to coordinate grafted seedling production and transport from FAVRI Other aspects of the training the SPPD staff... small capacity, and none were capable of producing grafted seedlings It was only in Lam Dong that there were truly professional and 11 commercial vegetable seedling producers, and many of these were able to produce grafted tomatoes The two industry workshops, one held in Ha Noi and the other in Da Lat, aimed to improve capacity within the seedling producers, particularly related to GAP Both workshops . Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development CARD Project Progress Report 025/06VIE Improvement of Vietnamese vegetable production using GAP principles for seed and seedling production. (AVRDC) and Tony Haigh (UWS) 9 Fig 2. Mr Phong’s Seedling Nursery, Lam Dong Tomato seedling production Grafting of tomato seedlings Grafted tomato seedlings Farmer collecting seedlings. of the market for their varieties. They will sell both the F1 4 hybrid seed and bacterial wilt-resistant rootstock seeds, and will recommend use of grafted seedlings in disease-prone districts.