Scientists from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Fiji have over the years been heavily engaged in exploring the agricultural potential of the country.
An article in The Fiji Times on November 3, 1978, reported that research on pulses was being conducted by senior researchers from the ministry.
The research was all conducted at the Legalega Research Station in Nadi and in the lead role was Balchand Karan, a senior research officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
There were good indications during the time that pulses could be successfully grown in suitable areas around Fiji.
Mr Karan said the major program on pulse at Legalega involved varietal selection.
“We get many varieties of pulses from our overseas operators and institutions. We grow these under our local climatic conditions here in Fiji and monitor growth,” he said. Comparisons are based on yield, palatability, diseases and other performances.
“Then we give them to residents who cook them, eat them and see whether the produce are tasty or not.”
Mr Karan said the most important feature of pulse program was that the University of Queensland in Australia had produced a photo insensitive line of pigeon pea. This meant that the crop was not sensitive to day length and could be planted during any time of the day. These types of peas were already being commercially farmed in other parts of Australia where weather conditions were far more different compared to Fiji.
“The crop there grows very well with local crop rotation. The plants are also tall enough to be easily sprayed.”
With the photo-insensitive lines, he hoped Fiji would one day be able to at least fulfil its own pulse requirements. On a whole, pulse required very fertile soil to grow.
The main constraint on the research station in Legalega was a species of pest to the crop known as “spotted borer” which bore in the plant’s flowers and buds. Regular spraying with chemicals was necessary for proper growth of the crop.
Regarding this, the Biological Control Unit at Koronivia in Nausori had been looking into a possibility of introducing a biological control agent from overseas.
Some of the main pulses that had been grown in Fiji were cow pea, urd and mung.
Though pulses were mostly used by Fijians of Indian descent, the number of users from other communities was also increasing. Fiji imported pulses worth about $1,500,000 annually.
