The selection of pulses in suriname

Abstract

The selection of pulses in Suriname can be distinguished according as the objective is aiming at breeding for sandy soils or for heavy clay soils. The selection for sandy soils is mainly related to groundnuts for local consumption.

This article deals with selection for heavy clay soils where pulses are grown in rotation with rice and are destined mainly for the world market. The crops are soybeans, cowpeas, blackeye peas, mungbeans and some other, minor crops. The existing local varieties were partly superseded by varieties from Indonesia or the Philippines, partly by lines selected from local varieties. The results of the investigations led to the following conclusions.

• 1. Any country wishing to raise varieties that surpass its own local varicties can start with simple line selection.

• 2. Lines selected from local varieties or varieties from countries with a comparable climate and day-length have the best chance of being an improvement.

• 3. To prevent the loss of valuable local varieties it is recommendable to grow as many of them as is possible, either locally or if need be elsewhere.