DECENTRALIZED ON-FARM SEED POTATO PRODUCTION FROM PRE-BASIC MINITUBERS - A CASE-STUDY FROM NEPAL

The on-farm performance of more than 150 000 pre-basic potato (Solanum tuberosum) minitubers of 1-10g was monitored over two years in contra sting environments in Nepal. Average minituber productivity (grams of basic seed produced per minituber planted) was 171 g in the southern p lains and 116 g in the hills. Although the performance of minitubers v aried between environments, minituber sizes and potato varieties, the overall results clearly indicated that minitubers can be successfully multiplied by small-scale farmers. This technology therefore allows fo r the highly decentralized production of basic seed which, in turn, wi ll reduce farmers' dependence on an unreliable and costly supply of bu lky conventional seed.