Mineral nutrition of root crops in Fiji

Root crops, in particular ginger, taro and sweet potato, have a place in commercial and smallholder Fijian agriculture, and they fit readily into crop rotations involving other vegetables. As population pressure in the Fiji Islands and elsewhere increases, root crops may assume a more significant role in both local and export markets due to their ease of cultivation, short growth duration habits, high yields, and good eating and keeping qualities. Opportunities exist to study these and other root crops in both commercial and smallholder farming systems. An understanding of their mineral nutrition and the ability to cost-effectively diagnose any nutrition limitations (by soil test, foliar analysis or pictorial representation) will be vital as Fiji aims for greater export earnings, greater acceptance of a wider variety of root crops on local markets and more sustainable agricultural production in the future.