Evaluation of FSM-Chuuk Local Taro (Colocasia seculenta (L) Schott Varieties for Food Security

GoalTo improve corm yield, field pest tolerance and storage qualities of taro for food securityObjectives1. To collect local taro cultivars for agronomic and morphological characterization2. To determine yields and yield components and important insect pests and diseases of the localtaro cultivars3. To evaluate daily changes in weights and magnitudes of rotting in corms with different pretreatmentsprior to storageObjective 1 will involve interviewing taro farmers in known taro areas in Chuuk to learn their culturalmanagement and other observations about concerned cultivar(s). Objective 2 will conductmorphological characterization, grouping into clusters morphologically similar cultivars and propagatingthem for replicated yield trials afterwards at one-farmer-cooperator. Objective 3 will be done afterharvesting replicated trials of different taro cultivars of which taro corms which will be pre-treated forobservation of storage qualities for 30 days.