Mission
To stimulate and sustain the development of floriculture as a vehicle of diversification for significant production and foreign exchange earnings.
The Cut Flower and Foliage Programme targets the production, promotion and development of a viable local floriculture industry and future export of cut flowers, foliage and other ornamentals through cost efficient production technology.The activities of the programme include research, development and extension carried out at two locations:
- Bullens Agricultural Station
- Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory
Bullens Agricultural Station is responsible for plant propagation, varietal selection and agronomic research and extension activities.
The Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory is involved in tissue culture research and propagation of ornamentals and germplasm conservation.
The Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory facilitates the national food security programme by micro-propagation of root and other food crops in collaboration with the Plant Pathology and Food Crops Research Sections within the Ministry.
Activities
Activities of the Cut Flower and Foliage Project are aimed currently:
- To research and develop agronomic practices for ornamentals under conditions of field and protected cultivation.
- To source and evaluate recommend new / improved varieties of cut flowers and foliage suited to the local environment.
- To increase the range and availability of cut flower varieties through conventional and advanced technologies.
- To research and develop protocols for efficient commercial production of plant materials by tissue culture.
- To reduce the overall cost of planting material available to growers.
- To facilitate in vitro and in vivo germplasm conservation of stock material of varieties of sweet potato proven to be suitable to the Barbados environmental conditions to ensure food security.
- To employ tissue culture techniques in producing virus-tested sweet potato.
- To transfer appropriate technology and husbandry practices to farmers, educational and agricultural institutions and extension officers.
Legal Framework
Not applicable