Project News

1. Training Course "Plant Water Physiology"

The Training Course "Plant Water Physiology" by Prof. HIRASAWA Tadashi, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology was held from 27th November to 11th December. It is the 2nd training followed which lasted the course in December 2017. The theme of this course was "Cultivar Difference and Cause of Drought Resistance in Crop Plants" to challenge to draw conclusions through the measurement results of practical experiment.

Course coordinators of YAU had prepared sample crop plants from 2 months before the course started. Total 15 trainees and observers were joined the course.

There were the lectures of basic science 1) Growth Analysis, 2) For Evaluation of Drought Resistance, 3) Process of Plant Gas Exchange and 4) Measurements of Leaf Water Potential and Photosynthesis and others for analysis of practical experiment of the course.

Three groups delivered presentation of results of analysis and they are going to develop the papers with guidance by Prof. Hirasawa.

Measuring photosynthesis of rice

Measuring photosynthesis of green beans

Closing party of training course.

2. The Training Course "Plant Genetic Resources"

The Training Course "Plant Genetic Resources" by Prof. KAWASE Makoto, Tsukuba University was held from 4th to 14th December. 15 participants were from YAU and DAR in this course.

The course was consist of lectures 1) What is Agro-Biodiversity? Why do we need genetic resources? 2) Origin of cultivated crops, 3) Crop evolution, 4) Why, what and how to explore plant genetic resources? 5) Gene pool concept 6) Gene banks, breeding, international cooperation, CBD, ITPGRFA and other international rules, and exploration practice to Pinlaung, Shan State and Loikaw, Kayah State. The collected samples by exploration tour were contributed to Seed Bank in DAR.

Collecting practice in Pinlaung

Rap-up discussion

3. Implementation of Pilot Research

1) Research groups under the Pilot Research Program conducted fieldworks as follows.

• 1st - 3rd December:
  RB02-1 group collected soil sample in Sesame field in Maing, Pakokku, yesakyo and Kamma TS.
• 1st, 10th, 24th and 31st December:
  RB03-1 group collected insects in 7 Townships in Nay Pyi Taw.
• 7th and 31st December:
  RB01-1-1 group conducted survey on the cultivation of pulses in Phyinmana TS, Nay Pyi Taw.
• 7th-9th and 18th-20th December:
  CR-04 group conducted survey on the growth of deep water rice cultivated with peculiar local method (stem-cutting transplanting method) in Thanapin TS, Yangon.
• 9th - 11th December:
  RB01-1-1 group conducted survey on the cultivation of pulses in Thonegwa TS, Yangon.
• 13th December:
  RB01-1-2 group conducted survey on the cultivation of rice in Phyinmana TS, Nay Pyi Taw.
• 17th - 19th December:
  RB01-1-3 group conducted survey on the cultivation of vegetables in Thonegwa TS, Yangon.
• 17th - 19th December:
  RB01-1-1 group conducted geographical survey by drones on the cultivation status in Thonegwa TS, Yangon.
• 25th December:
  RA02-1 group collected disease samples of rice in Phyinmana and Lewe TS, Nay Pyi Taw.
• 26th - 30th December:
  RB01-3 group conducted market survey of green beans in Pwint Phyu TS, Mandalay.
• 29th December - 4th January:
  RC01-2 group conducted survey on supply chain of sesame in Aunglan TS, Magway.

2) Laboratory and in-farm experiments were also conducted as follows

• RA01-1-1 (Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology group):
  The group completed experiments and will start to analyze input data and write paper.
• RA01-1-2 (Agronomy group):
  The team continues to investigate yielding abilities and other indicators of the varieties (95% completed).
• RA01-2 (Soil and Water Science group):
  The team continues to screen the salt-tolerant rice varieties. And they also started to screen the salt and drought tolerant rice varieties by pot exam.
• RA02-1 (Plant Pathology group):
  Pathogens of rice blast and leaf blight collected in Zaya Thiri and Pyinmana were continuously cultured. And the team cultivates 94 varieties and strains of rice harvested by RA01-1 group to investigate disease tolerance.
• RA02-2 (Entomology and Zoology group):
  The team cultivated 93 rice varieties and strains harvested by RA01-1 group both in paddy field and pots to investigate tolerance against yellow stem borer. They will cultivate other varieties to do it sequentially.
• RB01-1-1 (Agronomy group):
  Input and analyze data of pulses collected from Thonegwa TS, Yangon is started.
• RB-01-1-2 (Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology group):
  Input and analyze data of pulses collected from Phyinmana TS, Nay Pyi Taw is started.
• RB01-2 (Soil and Water Science group):
  The team measures N and Ca of collected 80 sample soils.
• RB02-1 (Plant Pathology):
  Nematoda in soils collected from sesame fields in Maing, Pakokku, Yesakyo, Kamma TS has been continued to identified.
• RB03-1 (Entomology and Zoology group):
  The team continues activities to identify and count pests collected by insect net in order to develop a pest-warning model.
• RC-01-1 (Agronomy group):
  The team analyses collected data and prepares the paper.
• RC-02-1 (Horticulture and Agricultural Biotechnology):
  The team completed to measure respiratory activity, producing ethylene and started to analyze the result.
• RC-02-2 (Plant Pathology group):
  The team continues to cultivate pathogens isolated from the infected mango fruits.
• CR-04 (Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology group):
  Report writing is still ongoing. The group also continues the surveys on the growth of deep-water rice grown both in the DAR experimental pond and the fields in the deep-water area in Thanatpin TS, Bago.

Interviews to Farmers (RB02-1)

Salt-tolerance test (RA01-2)