Disease-resistant cauliflower created through nuclear science

International Atomic Energy Agency researchers have helped scientists on the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius to develop a variety of cauliflower that is resistant to black rot disease. The cauliflower was developed through innovative radiation-induced plant-breeding techniques employed by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

Black rot problems: Black rot disease is infamous in Mauritius for harming and sometimes destroying harvests of the country's economically important cauliflower crops, making the vegetables unfit for consumption or export. Because of this problem, Mauritian farmers have been forced to plant expensive, imported hybrid varieties or use large amounts of copper-based, environmentally harmful pesticides.

Local collaboration: Since 2016, scientists with the IAEA and FAO have been working with colleagues at Mauritius's Food and Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) to provide training, fellowships, and other guidance on the use of advanced nuclear technologies for mutation induction and plant breeding. The goal was to develop a new cauliflower variety with greater resistance to black rot that retains the desirable physical traits and nutritional value of the traditional local variety. Researchers also wanted the new variety to be easily cultivatable by local farmers.

Gamma rays: To create the new cauliflower variety, scientists at FAREI first exposed the local variety to gamma rays. They then screened the resulting plants for selected lines based on yield volume and disease resistance. Next, the best candidates were planted in field trials at several locations to verify their yields and production outputs.

Local Cream: After eight years of trials, the top-performing line was identified. It is called Local Cream because of its characteristic compact, cream-colored head. In July, selected farmers in Mauritius began receiving Local Cream seeds. These farmers have confirmed that this cauliflower variety "is highly tolerant to the disease and produces a high-quality product," according to the IAEA.

Rita Nowbiuth, principal research scientist at FAREI, commented on the success of Local Cream: "This new variety promises to help Mauritian farmers reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides, lower their production costs, and ensure a stable supply of cauliflower."

Tools and expertise: Dongxin Feng, director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, said, "Our collaboration [with FAREI] has brought advanced nuclear and related biotechnologies to the heart of national breeding programs. Through mutation induction, advanced screening techniques, and modern breeding approaches, Mauritius now possesses the tools and expertise to develop resilient crop varieties for generations to come, as exemplified by the black rot-tolerant cauliflower."