The Floriculture Unit is responsible for the following:

• Propagation and maintenance of plant Germplasm of endemic, rare or threatened and native species as well as imported Germplasm acquired through the Index Seminum Programme.
• Propagation, production and distribution of indigenous and other ornamental plants for Environment Horticultural Management Works (of the Landscape Management Unit), sale to other Government agencies e.g. Highways Beautification Unit, Ministry of Works contractors, other landscapers and the general public – Schools and other civic organizations.
• Initial multiplication of native or indigenous material of value to the Floriculture Industry or other economic potential, with a view to facilitating industry development.
• Production/maintenance of ornamental potted and bagged plants for short term loan to government offices, state functions, schools, for indoor and outdoor landscaping,
• Production of traditional and non-traditional fruit tree crops.
• Production of cut flowers for internal use.

Since its inception in 1953, the La Reunion Plant Propagation Station (LRPPS) has been charged with the responsibility of supplying high-quality planting material to farmers and the wider community as well as being a store of clean and disease-free plant genetic resources for Trinidad and Tobago. Today, the La Reunion Propagation Station occupies 20 Acres of prime agricultural land at its Caroni North Bank Road station and is a major contributor to assisting Trinidad and Tobago achieve its goal of food security.

The major activities at the La Reunion Plant Propagation Station include:

• Production of high-quality planting material – Cocoa, Breadfruit, Coffee Avocado, Mango, and other minor and exotic fruit plants
• Production of selected ornamental plants
• Preservation and Conservation of key fruit types and other useful plant germplasm – Cocoa, Coffee, Banana, Mango, Sapodilla, and other minor fruits

 

 

Cocoa Production at La Reunion Plant Propagation Station

The St. Augustine Nurseries has been mandated to supply high quality planting material to farmers and the wider community, since its establishment several decades ago.  Today, the St. Augustine Nurseries comprises of twenty (20) hectares of prime agricultural land located at Farm Road, Curepe and is fully cultivated with orchard type fruit trees, minor fruits, ornamental trees and shrubs as well as herbs and spices.

In 2018, it was discovered that much of Trinidad and Tobago’s citrus population had become infected with the Citrus Greening Disease. The St. Augustine Nurseries’ germplasm was no exception, which prompted the nursery’s decision to remove and destroy all infected plants and start again with new, disease free germplasm to aid with the mitigation of the Citrus Greening Disease in the country.

Following this fresh start, the production of disease free/ tolerant citrus plants is a recent addition to aid with the mitigation of Citrus Greening Disease in the country.

The major activities at the St. Augustine Nurseries include:

• Production of high quality planting material – citrus, mango, avocado, minor fruits, herbs and spices
• Production of selected ornamental plants
• Preservation and Conservation of key germplasm of  fruit types and other useful plants- citrus, mango, avocado, other tropical fruit types, herbs and spices and ornamental shade trees and shrubs.
• The production of disease free/ tolerant citrus plants to Citrus Greening Disease

Citrus production at St. Augustine Nurseries

The Cocoa Research Section of the Research Division in the Ministry of Food Production is located on the La Reunion Estate at Caroni North Bank Road, Centeno. The La Reunion Estate is comprised of 200 ha of commercial/research cocoa fields. It also houses a cocoa processing facility, which is perhaps the best example of an effective, ergonomic system for bean processing.

Cocoa research in Trinidad and Tobago emanated from a rich tradition of classical research conducted by famous scientists such as Dr. F. J. Pound and Dr V. Quesnel and WE Freeman in the 1940’s.

One of the major achievements of the section was the production of the Trinidad Selected Hybrids (popularly known as TSH cocoa varieties). These varieties show high resistance to disease, are early bearing, have a low pod index and display excellent fine or flavour characteristics. The TSH varieties are recognised internationally as the products of one of the most successful breeding programmes. It serves as a genetic base for current and future breeding activities.

Today the mandate of the Cocoa Research Section has broadened tremendously to include the co-ordination of industry activities in alignment with the Ministry’s Action Plan 2012-2015. Other key stakeholders involved in the execution of the Action Plan include the Cocoa and Coffee Industry Board (CCIB), the Cocoa Research Centre (CRC) UWI and Farming Groups and Associations.

Core Activities

Genetic Enhancement through breeding

The current breeding programme of the Section is focused on improving resistance to Blackpod Disease (BPD) and Witches Broom (WB) while further enhancing bean flavour and size. There are two major on-going trials at this time. These are:

• Improving the Blackpod disease resistance of the Trinidad Selected Hybrids (TSH)
  A joint breeding project commenced with the Cocoa Research Centre (UWI) crossing selected progeny from CRC’s Germplasm Enhancement Project (GEP) showing high resistance to Blackpod disease in different mating schemes with selected commercial TSH types.
• Breeding of enhanced TSH varieties
  From a highly segregated F1 population formed from crossing various TSH varieties with Parinari (PA) types. This F1 population was evaluated over 10 yrs and outstanding progenies are identified to create an F2 population for further selection of enhanced TSH clones for disease resistance, yield and flavour potential.

An application for Plant Breeders’ Rights for eleven cocoa varieties of the TSH 1300 series is currently with the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Legal Affairs for consideration under the UPOV convention.

Germplasm Evaluation and Conservation

The research fields at the La Reunion Estate are comprised of a number of germplasm evaluation and conservation plots. Germplasm conserved include TSH material, farmers’ best accessions and genetic material from Costa Rica, Peru, French Guiana, Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia and Brazil. These are organised into the following trials:

• Local Clone Trial (LCT) with twenty TSH clones,
• Local Clone Observation Plot (LCOP) with thirty-four clones.
• International Clone Trial (ICT) with twenty-one International clones
• Regional Variety Trial (RVT) with fifteen cocoa crosses from Latin American countries
• On Farm Cocoa Variety Trials at Biche and Gran Couva composed of 20 best farmers’ and 10 breeders selections

Farmers Selection Observation Plot (FSOP) with over 100 farmers’ selections

In addition to conservation, morphological characterization and flavour profiling of the TSH material is on-going.

Agronomy and Processing Trials

The objectives of agronomy trials are to optimize cocoa production systems, which can improve farm productivity (output) and profitability. The Section is managing the following trials:

Pruning Trial

Overgrown cocoa estates in Trinidad are very common. The objective of this replicated trial is to evaluate the effect of three different pruning heights (8, 10 and 12 feet) and two pruning intensities (light and heavy) on yield and disease incidence in 20 TSH varieties.

Agroforestry Trial

This is an on-going trial integrating ten TSH x TSH crosses with Columbian cedar plants in a hedgerow. The trial is evaluating an alternative system of cocoa production at 8’ x8’ spacing using Columbian Cedar as the permanent overhead shade planted at 16’ x 32’ spacing. This trial explores the income earning potential of the intercropped system.

Aboricide Trials

These have been conducted to determine the appropriate rate of aboricide and application method needed to kill unwanted overhead permanent shade trees while minimizing damage to existing cocoa trees.

Fertilizer Trials

Best Cocoa Processing Trials

The Processing Facility demonstrates best fermenting practices using a system of cascading wooden fermentation boxes coupled with various systems of drying cocoa such as the use of LPG gas drying, assisted drying systems and natural sun drying.

Industry Development and Co-ordination

The section is vigourously promoting the organisation of cocoa farmers into clusters with the objective of increasing national productivity and increased profitability. It is targeted that over the next three years, twelve such clusters would be fully functional.

Each cluster will comprise a lead farm and surrounding satellite farms (15-20). The cluster will participate in targeted delivery programmes of education, training, infrastructure, product quality development, access to organised labour pools, certification, branding, farmers’ field schools, linkages to value add and other support services for streamlining of their cocoa business base towards improved productivity, quality, value add and profitability.

Action Plan Execution

In executing the MFP’s Action Plan the Section chairs and participates in a number of committees which seek to address the following issues:

• Management of Heavy Metals (Cadmium) in cocoa production
• The development of the local value add industry
• The development of improved drying facilities
• Adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)

Provision of planting material to the Agricultural Services Division

In order to ensure that farmers obtain the best available varieties to establish their estates, The Cocoa Research Section collaborates with the Agricultural Services Division (ASD) by providing them with planting material for mass propagation and sale to farmers. This is done through the maintenance of seed and clonal gardens. Alternative systems of clonal propagation are also tested and recommended for commercial use.

Extension and Outreach

The Section is actively involved in collaborative extension and outreach programmes. Within the Cluster Project, farmers will learn best practices using discovery based learning (DBL) and Farmers Field Schools (FFS) methods. Technical consultation is provided to commercial cocoa farmers for establishment and management of estates.

Staffing

The personnel of the Cocoa Research Section is comprised of 1 Agronomist, 3 Agricultural Officer 1 and a cadre of daily rated foremen, checkers, propagators, pollinators and skilled labourers.

The section does agronomic research to improve food security, sustainability and competitiveness of local farming. Studies are focused on sweet potato, cassava, yams, dasheen and eddoes. The current drive is geared towards the national action plan as well as to assist producers to improve yields while developing economic, environmental and climate-smart cropping systems.

Officers and technical staff assist in the program along with stakeholders to improve crop production. The department also collaborates with other agencies and institutions which has a mandate to contribute towards sustainable crop production in Trinidad and Tobago. The root crops selected for germplasm conservation are prioritised on the basis of strategic goals set out by the plans of the Ministry of Food Production.

The research program is established at the Central Experiment Station, Centeno.

Mission Statement

To improve competitiveness and sustainability of the farming community by sharing accurate, relevant research information with all stakeholders.

Vision

To be the leading benefactor of reliable research results that impact with approbation to sustainable food production.

Goals

• To contribute to the food security of the nation through research that facilitates the consistent production of nutritional food at reasonable prices.
• To promote sustainable and climate smart agricultural development.
• To enhance the competitiveness and productivity of the food production sector.

Research Activities

• Morphological characterization of 55 sweet potato cultivars grown ex situ at the Central Experimental Station, Centeno, in collaboration with CARDI under the global crop diversity trust (GCDT FAO project).
• Germplasm conservation – Maintenance of germplasm collections of cassava, sweet potato and yam.
• Services and Technical assistance

Bulletins

• Root Crop Bulletin #1 – Guide to Growing Cassava Successfully
• Root Crop Bulletin #2 – Guide to Growing Dasheen Successfully
• Root Crop Bulletin #3 – Guide to Growing Sweet Potato Successfully
• Root Crop Bulletin #4 – Guide to Growing Yams Successsfully

Factsheets

The Cassava Hornworm