Zimbabwe: TRB develops drought-tolerant tobacco hybrids

Source: The Herald – Breaking news. Business Reporter The Tobacco Research Board (TRB), also known as Kutsaga, has unveiled new tobacco hybrids designed to thrive in harsh or challenging climatic conditions. The varieties are designed to withstand the impacts of low rainfall, high temperatures and prolonged dry spells, which have become increasingly prevalent in the country due to the impact of climate change, TRB chief executive, Dr Frank Magama, said. The newly developed hybrids, T78, T79, T80 and T81, grow rapidly, enabling them to outpace drought conditions. Furthermore, they have inherent resistance to multiple tobacco diseases. Impressively, the varieties can yield between 2 500 and 3 000 kilogrammes per hectare even in the harshest environments. The climate-smart varieties are currently undergoing a limited-release programme, targeting farmers in the arid regions of Masvingo, Midlands and Matabeleland South. However, they can also be planted in traditional tobacco-growing ...