New study in Applied Biosciences sets out a method for growing wild enset from Kenya in the lab and greenhouse.
Alabaster International is proud to share that a second peer-reviewed study from our enset research partnership has been published, this time in the international journal Applied Biosciences.
Funded by Alabaster International and Girl Child Network through the Enset Cultivation and Utilization Collaborative Project, the research was carried out at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya, together with researchers from Arba Minch University in Ethiopia.
The study focused on four wild Kenyan enset varieties: Chepseoni, Limuru, Kanjuiri and Kinangop. The team developed practical steps to keep lab cultures free of contamination, prevent browning, encourage new shoots and roots, and help young plants establish in the greenhouse.
Wild enset carries genetic traits that could help breed hardier, more climate-resilient varieties. Reliable ways to grow these plants give researchers a foundation to conserve wild enset and draw on its strengths in future breeding. It's another step toward bringing this drought-tolerant crop to more communities facing hunger and climate change.
This follows our first peer-reviewed publication in Discover Applied Sciences earlier this year.
We extend our sincere congratulations to lead author Ezana Fantaye Sium and co-authors Grace W. Mungai, Sabura Shara, Gezahegn Garo and Sylvester Anami, and to our university partners for this achievement.
Read the full publication: https://doi.org/10.3390/applbiosci5040110