 Largest continent in the world with approx 60% of the world’s population  Tropical Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam ) accounts for 26% of world’s population  Unfortunately this continent also accounts for the largest number of under nourished population in the world - attributed to low fruit and vegetable consumption  70% malnourished children in Asia  Vegetables known to provide micro nutrients that improves health

Region World Asia S E Asia* Africa * Significant drop in under-nourished population

 Largest economic growth regions in the world - in South and SE Asia  Dominated by India and China  Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines clocked GDP per capita growth above 150% over last 10 year period  USA it was 26% and UK showed single digit

Economic growth in tropical Asia – GDP per capita Country% improvement India130.6 Indonesia199.3 Philippines154.8 Thailand133.1 Vietnam214.8 UK6.3 USA26.7

 Higher growth rate in GDP -- purchasing power is better  New technologies accepted easily  Hybrid seed technology was well accepted during this phase in the SE Asian countries  Increase was over 10-15% annually in these countries during this period  Vegetable production kept pace with increase in area and productivity

 World’s economy is shifting from west to east  Millions expected to move out of poverty  Middle class will rise from 1.8 billion in 2010 to 3.2 billion in 2020  85% of this population will be in Asia

Country Area under vegetable crops (AGR%) Production of vegetable crops (AGR %) India China Thailand Vietnam Philippines Annual Growth Rate of Vegetable Production in Asia

 Global vegetable production largely driven by increase in area and expansion in SE Asia and China  Trend due to high net returns per unit area, higher income even with small land holdings  Impact on poverty through employment generation since vegetable cultivation is labor intensive  In addition, provides nutrition security  Vegetable production stagnant in developing countries during the same period

 Vegetables are the fastest growing crop sector in the world  Annual increase - world over at 2.8%, Asian countries 3.86%, India 2.46% and China 5.93%  Corresponding figures for other crops were negative or around 1%  More land area taken up with vegetable crops in Asia  In India also area under vegetables is increasing at a rate greater than for cereals, pulses, oilseeds and fiber crops  Provides a major opportunity for investing in the fastest growing crop sector  Vegetable revolution is the next green revolution after rice and wheat

 Solanaceous crops - tomato, chilli, eggplant and sweet pepper  Cucurbitaceous crops - watermelon, melon, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, cucumber  Brassica - cabbage and cauliflower besides leafy vegetables  Strong regional preferences of varieties in eggplants and chillies  In solanaceous crops, OPs predominated till beginning of 90s  Hybrid usage increased rapidly in tomato and chillies and to a lesser extent in eggplants  In the last decade, it was 10-15% annually  Area under vegetables growing – new areas added & other crops being replaced

 Hybrids in tomato and chillies have spread rapidly in S E Asia  Breeders had to develop hybrids with locally acceptable fruit and plant traits  Market segmentation - a challenge to the breeder  In tomato, hybrids developed for spring / summer / main season, indeterminates with resistance to important diseases  In chillies, hybrids developed to suit local needs with resistance to important diseases

CountryTomato ( Kgs)Chilli ( Kgs) India Indonesia Phillipines Thailand Vietnam China Hybrid seed usage in tomato and chillies in SE Asia

 With adoption of hybrid seed technology average productivity has risen approximately by 20-25%  Improved agronomic practices like drip, mulch, fertigation also helped exploit yield increases  In India, yields can be as high as: tomato >120 t/ha; chilli pepper 45 t/ha  This compares with best in the world (California for tomato and Mexico for chillies)  With better adoption of technology productivity will increase in more areas

 Higher yields  Longer harvesting period  Better adaptability  Better transport qualities  Nutritional value  Disease resistance

 White fly transmitted gemini virus - leaf curl  Groundnut bud necrosis virus (GBNV), Capsicum Chlorosis Virus  Bacterial wilt  Early and late blight

 Viruses – Chilli veinal mottle virus, CMV, GBNV, leaf curl virus  Anthracnose fruit rot (Colletotrichum capsici, C. gloeosporiodes, C.acutatum)  Powdery mildew  Bacterial wilt

Tomato  Ty series (Ty 1 to Ty 6) – complete resistance stable over space and time?  GBNV: source of resistance and genetics  Bacterial wilt – complete resistance in warm humid regions?  Early and late blight: stable gene for resistance

Chilli  Resistance to leaf curl virus, GBNV  Fruit rot: stable resistance to Colletotrichum species and races General threats  New viruses, strains of the virus, races in late blight  Segmentation in market needs

 New efficient production systems like drip, plastic mulch, fertigation, micro nutrients  Protected cultivation - net houses and sophisticated green houses  Choice of crops and suitable varieties  Remote area production  Impact of climate change  Changing disease and pest scenario

 Investments required in research  Innovations in investigations  Fundamental and basic research necessary in tackling new disease / insect resistance  Public institutes to develop strength in basic research  Possibilities of forging relationships between public institutes and private sector

 Locating new sources of resistance  Locating different resistant gene(s)  Developing efficient screening techniques  Basic studies on pathogens  Pre-breeding in PPP mode  Marker development

 Basic and fundamental research to be encouraged in research institutes and universities  Research funded by private sector can be encouraged  It could be on exclusive or non-exclusive basis  Research funded by private companies will bring public institutes closer to the market  APSA – AVRDC model with a consortium of seed companies can be replicated

 Private sector can float fellowships/scholarships in Universities for post graduate studies  Seed companies with requisite facilities can be recognised as research centres  Refresher courses can be organised for plant breeders as in UC, Davis

 Providing germplasm  Providing resistant sources  Successful collaborative projects (APSA sponsored) ◦ Ty2 marker development ◦ Development of SSR markers in tomato ◦ More recently on Ty gene(s) deployment over space  Exclusive research projects

 Significant role in bringing seed companies under one umbrella  Organizing trade between companies  Organizing training programs like on seed testing, pathology, marker assisted selection  Harmonization of phyto-sanitary rules  Promotion of technical and economic cooperation

 NBPGR should open up to private seed companies for providing germplasm as in vogue in CGIAR Institutes  Passport data to be available on all accessions and on the website  Procedural formalities to be simplified for procurement of germplasm including signing of MTA /SMTA  Bottle necks not to be created under bio-diversity treaties when the material is already in use by breeders all over the world  Adoption of models which will help in rapid progress of germplasm augmentation and exchange

 Identification of research needs in tomato and chilli especially on resistance to diseases  Building relationships and creating PPP among Institutions to work on identified projects  Formulation of effective action plans and strategies  Identifying deliverables in the form of improved varieties  Overall aim will be to improve quality of life of tomato and chilli growers in Asia