food and agricultural research council proceedings fourth annual meeting of agricultural scientists

286 Pages·2000·4.42 MB·English

FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

P R O C E E D I N G S

FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING
OF
AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS

REDUIT, MAURITIUS, 21-22 OCTOBER 1999

February 2001

P R O C E E D I N G S

Fourth Annual Meeting of Agricultural Scientists

Bonâme Hall,MSIRI

Réduit, Mauritius, 21-22 October 1999

Organised by

The Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC
)

in collaboration with

The Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU)

The Agricultural Services, Ministry of Agriculture,
Food Technology and Natural Resources

The Albion Fisheries Research Center (AFRC)

The Faculties of Agriculture and Science,
University of Mauritius (UOM
)

The Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI)

Sponsored by

THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

Edited by

J A Lalouette, D Y Bachraz and N Sukurdeep

October 2000
SUGGESTED CITATION :

LALOUETTE JA, BACHRAZ DY and SUKURDEEP N. eds. 2000. Proceedings of the Fourth
Annual Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, Réduit, Mauritius, 21 – 22 October 1999. Réduit, Mauritius
: Food and Agricultural Research Council.

© FARC 2000

ISBN
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS 1999

Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU)
Réduit Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 464 4876 Fax ( 230 ) 464 8809 e-mail [email protected]

The Agricultural Research and Extension Unit functions under the aegis of the Food and Agricultural
Research Council as from July 1995. The main objective of AREU is to serve its clients through
excellence in cost-effective high quality research and extension and to meet the policy requirements of
government. AREU has responsibility for livestock and all crops excluding sugarcane.

Agricultural Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources
Réduit Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 454 1018 Fax ( 230 ) 464 8749

The Agricultural Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology and Natural Resources
started life as the Department of Agriculture in 1913 itself taking over from the Station Agronomique
created in 1893. It is the regulatory body of the Ministry and provides a number of services to the
agricultural community.

Albion Fisheries Research Centre (AFRC)
Albion, Petit Rivière, Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 238 4100 Fax ( 230 ) 238 4184 e-mail [email protected]

The objectives of the Albion Fisheries Research Centre are to carry out research and development
activities with a view to increasing knowledge on fishery resources within the fishing limits of
Mauritius and to provide a basis for their sustainable development and management.

Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC)
Réduit Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 465 1011 Fax ( 230 ) 465 3344 e-mail [email protected]

The Food and Agricultural Research Council was created in 1985. Its main objective is to promote,
harmonise and co-ordinate research activities in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food production in
line with government policy and to ensure that the farming community draws the maximum benefits
from such research.

Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI)
Réduit Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 454 1061 Fax ( 230 ) 454 1971 e-mail [email protected]

The Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute is a statutory body created in 1953 with mandate to
promote by means of research and investigation the technical progress of the sugar industry. It also
carries out research on foodcrops that are grown in association with sugarcane.

University of Mauritius (UOM)
Réduit Mauritius
Telephone ( 230 ) 454 1041 Fax ( 230 ) 454 9642 e-mail [email protected]

The University of Mauritius was founded in 1965. While training remains one of its important
mandates, it also focuses on research in diverse areas which include agriculture and allied subjects.

AMAS 1999. Food and Agricultural Research Council, Réduit, Mauritius
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vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1999

PageNo

Participating Institutions v

Foreword ix

Opening Session

Welcoming address by Alain Noël G.O.S.K, C.B.E Chairman FARC x
Address by Dr the Honourable Arvin Boolell Minister of Agriculture, Food Technology
xi
and Natural Resources
The Jay Baguant Memorial lecture Keynote Address:
xv
Agriculture and Energy Dr T.R. Bott University of Birmingham UK

Session 1 – Chairman Dr T R Bott

Applications of the Global Positioning System to the sugar industry I Jhoty 1
Crop modelling a useful research tool F Cheeroo Nayamuth 11
The suitability of sugarcane lands for tomato S Ramasamy and N Govinden 27
Performance of chopper harvesters and their effects on soil and crops at Beau Champ SE
39
V Rivière, C Marot, R Ng Cheong and E Jacquin
Rock phosphate as an alternative to soluble phosphate fertilisers. I : The effect of pH on
47
the dissolution of rock phosphate B Lalljee

Session 2 – Chairman Professor Jagadish Manrakhan

Status of pink root in onion and its control F Maudarbaccus and S P Benimadhu 55
Evaluation of fungicides for the control of the leaf spot disease caused by
61
Mycosphaerella eumusae in Mauritius S Soomary and S P Benimadhu
Status of maize diseases in Rodrigues N Mawlah, J C Autrey and S Saumtally 67
Detection from soil and distribution of Ceratocystis paradoxa Moreau, causal agent of
75
pineapple disease of sugarcane Y Moutia and S Saumtally
Gregarine (Protozoa: Apicomplexa:Eugreganidia) infection in sugarcane white grubs
83
(Coleoptera:Scarabeidae) in Mauritius M Govendasamy and S Ganeshan
Control of Plutella xylostella and Crocidolomia binotalis through the combined effects
87
of Bacillus thrungiensis and botanical pesticides S Facknath

Session 3 – Chairman Dr Jean Claude Autrey

Yellow sticky traps as a monitoring tool for effective control of leaf miner in onion
93
L Unmole, D Abeeluck and R Seetohul
Pest risk analysis and quarantine of fruit flies in the Indian ocean region
99
A Joomye and N Price (Indian Ocean fruit fly regional programme)
Seasonal profiles in production, fruit fly population and fruit damage on mangoes in
107
Mauritius A Manrakhan and N Price (Indian Ocean fruit fly regional programme)
Local production of protein bait for use in fruit fly monitoring and control
117
S Gopaul and N Price (Indian Ocean fruit fly regional programme)

AMAS 1999. Food and Agricultural Research Council, Réduit, Mauritius
vii
Session 4 – Chairman Mr Jean Noël Humbert

Evaluation of the genetic base of sugarcane cultivars and structuration of the diversity at
the chromosome level using molecular markers N Janoo, L Grivet, A Dookun, A d’Hont 123
and J C Glaszmann
Relationship between canopy cover and light interception in potato in a tropical climate
137
Y Cadersa and N Govinden
Effects of two water retentive chemicals on seedling survival and yield of transplanted
145
tomato M Rughoo and N Govinden
Irrigating sugarcane at varying doses and frequencies: effects on yield and moisture
153
L Ng Cheong, D Ah Koon and K Muthy
Movement of atrazine by runoff from sugarcane lands in the super humid region of
159
Mauritius A Mooniaruck, G Umrit and K F Ng Kee Kwong
Germination response of sugarcane setts of different varieties and physiological ages
165
after hot water treatment G Permaloo, Y Moutia and S Saumtally

Session 5 – Chairman Professor Eric Roberts

Production of early onion crop from setts: Effects of age size of set on bulb yield and
173
quality S Seetohul and P Hanoomanjee
Influence of fresh and cold stored plantlets on strawberry yield S Lutchoomun 181
Post harvest quality improvement of banana I Ramma, S P Benimadhu and S Peerthum 187

Session 6 – Chairman Dr Arjoon Sudhoo

Status of the Marine environment of the Albion lagoon V Chineah 195
Some results of the study of sexual maturity of L. Mahsena from Saya de Malha bank
211
S Soondron, A Venkatasami and A Sheikmamode
Growth parameters and mortality rates of Epinephelus fasciatus, Lethrinus nebulosus,
Siganus sutor Naso unicornis and Mugil cephalus from the coastal areas of Mauritius as
217
estimated from analysis of length frequencies
S Ratacharen, A Venkatasamy and D Degambar

Session 7 – Chairman Mr Alain Noël

Evaluation of the performance of the small holder goat production system in Mauritius
D Saddul, M Seeneevassen Pillay, R K Ramnauth, R Fakim, R Lam Sheung Yuen, 229
G Saraye, P Toolsy and A A Boodoo
The reproductive performance of imported Friesian dairy heifers in Mauritius
237
K Boodhoo and A A Boodoo
Pre-weaning piglet mortality in Mauritius V S Jugessur 243

Posters

Eradication of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) from Mauritius
SI Seewooruthun, S Permalloo, P Sookar, M Alleck, B Gungah, AR Soonnoo and H 250
Abdoula
Urea molasses multinutrient blocks (UMMB) as a feed supplement for ruminants
251
H Bheekhee
The effect of administration of prostaglandin in dairy animals on pregnancy rate
254
K Boodhoo, P Toolsee and AA Boodoo
Artificial feed trial on sea bream Rhabdosargus sarba
256
Hans Bhudoye and Norihisa Ishibashi
Effect of fish oil incorporated diet on growth of sea bream Rhabdosargus sarba
257
Hans Bhudoye and Norihisa Ishibashi
Author and Subject Index 259

AMAS 1999. Food and Agricultural Research Council, Réduit, Mauritius
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FOREWORD 1999

The Food and Agricultural Research Council funded the fourth Annual Meeting of Agricultural
Scientists of Mauritius (AMAS), which started in 1995 as part of the World Bank assisted Agricultural
Management Services Project.

Younger scientists from the five main agricultural research institutions namely the Agricultural
Research and Extension Unit, the Agricultural Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Technology and Natural Resources, the Albion Fisheries Research Centre, the Sugar Industry Research
Institute and the University of Mauritius were encouraged once again to present papers at this meeting.
As a result thirty papers were received and they are published in the proceedings. In addition five
papers presented during poster sessions are also included in the proceedings. The keynote address is
dedicated to the memory of late Professor Jay Baguant, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Mauritius. It is worth mentionning also that three papers from Fruit Fly Regional Programme for the
Indian Ocean were presented.

I am most grateful to the staff of FARC and to all those who in one way or another have contributed to
the success of the meeting.

JJJJaaaaggggaaaaddddiiiisssshhhh MMMMaaaannnnrrrraaaahhhhkkkkaaaannnn
Acting Director General

AMAS 1999. Food and Agricultural Research Council, Réduit, Mauritius
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