Pilot units of potato seed production in Mali, using in vitro material: micro/minitubers.

This notice displays trials of farmer seed potato production in Mali using micro and minitubers. A simple phytotechnique has been development to use this kind of prebasic material. In spite of severe culture conditions in Mali, the average yield varies from 6 to 12 t/ha for a microtuber plantation and from 8 to 14 t/ha for minitubers. Between two successive crops, the seeds are stored under diffuse light in a ventilated room. The profitability of the local seed production scheme seems interesting. The cost price of the second generation is already below the import price of seed potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]