Seed varietal testing

Test and select varieties that are most productive and fit with consumer taste

Scope

• Review existing agronomic practices and make recommendation for improvement 
• Perform varietal testing and selection 
• Supervise the purification and multiplication of high quality seeds
• Train local engineer on good agronomic practices

Approach

• Dedicated team of agronomists on the ground throughout all seasons
• Team on the ground is supported by our Agronomic Advisory Board
• Make use of GMX’s intellectual property on agronomy including adapting Vietnamese varieties to the African environment
• On-the-job training to local engineers. Training could also be conducted in Vietnam (We collaborate with Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute in the Mekong Delta)

Potentially suitable rice varieties

The table contains some agronomic and cooking characteristics of 20 potentially suitable varieties from a consumer preference perspective (high amylose content, long grained).

There are hundreds of varieties in Vietnam to suit particular agro-ecological conditions, including those resistant to: 

• Pests and diseases
• Adverse temperature (too hot or too cold)
• Acidic or saline soil
• Climate change such as droughts, floods
• All these varieties are short maturing and high-yielding as the focus in Vietnam is high production output.

We have performed trial growing of many of these varieties in Africa. Therefore we are able to assess the suitability, from an agronomic perspective, of individual varieties. We have adapted the growing technique for each variety to suit the African environment.

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