‘Nuclear’ Cauliflower to Cut Pesticide Use and Boost Food Security in Mauritius

Nuclear scientists have successfully developed a new cauliflower variety in Mauritius that is resistant to the devastating Black Rot disease, a breakthrough aiming to reduce farmers’ reliance on chemical pesticides and bolster the nation’s food security.

Disease-Tolerant Crop Launch

The new variety, aptly named ‘Local Cream’ for its compact, cream-coloured head, shows enhanced tolerance to Black Rot, a bacterial disease that has historically decimated cauliflower harvests or rendered them unfit for consumption or export.

The release of the seeds to selected farmers, which followed eight years of rigorous work, culminated in a high-level ceremony in July 2025.

“This new variety promises to help Mauritian farmers reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides, lower their production costs and ensure a stable supply of cauliflower,” said Rita Nowbiuth, Principal Research Scientist at the Food and Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) of Mauritius.

The launch was presided over by Arvin Kumar Boolell, Minister of Agro-industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries of Mauritius, who stressed the importance of a “smart, green and healthy approach to agriculture.”

International Scientific Partnership

The development is the result of a decade-long close collaboration between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Mauritian experts at FAREI.

The IAEA, through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, supported scientists in developing the new variety using radiation-induced plant breeding techniques.

The project, which began in 2016, involved exposing the traditional local cauliflower variety to gamma rays to produce desired traits. Selected lines were then screened for yield volume and disease resistance before advancing to field trials.

“Our collaboration has brought advanced nuclear and related biotechnologies to the heart of national breeding programmes,” said Dongxin Feng, Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre.

Farmer Benefits and Future Focus

For decades, Mauritian farmers have struggled against Black Rot, which causes v-shaped lesions on leaves and, in extreme cases, total crop loss.

The traditional local variety, celebrated for its taste, is particularly vulnerable, forcing farmers to switch to costly imported hybrids or rely heavily on copper-based pesticides.

The ‘Local Cream’ variety, which is an open-pollinated variety, is ready for harvest just 60 to 65 days after transplantation.

Gashaw Wolde, IAEA Director of the Technical Cooperation Division for Africa, highlighted the benefits: “The farmers cultivating this variety no longer incur heavy costs for chemical controls; consumers enjoy safer produce; and, as an open-pollinated variety, Local Cream empowers smallholders to save and exchange seed, fostering self-reliance and reducing dependency on imports.”

Two highly experienced cauliflower farmers involved in an on-farm evaluation confirmed the variety’s high tolerance to the disease and its quality.

Cauliflower is a key crop in Mauritius, and ensuring its expanded production is vital for food security, local markets, and the export economy, according to a 2023 Agricultural Digest.

The national IAEA technical cooperation programme is set to continue supporting FAREI’s work on developing new local cabbage and carrot varieties with disease tolerance and high nutritional value.

Source: IAEA