ARSF3-ECR funding awarded to Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni

It's fantastic to see another Meryl Williams Fellow successfully secure additional research support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) through the ARSF3-ECR program. Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni is the manger for the Plants and Post-harvest Technologies Division in the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS) and with the support from ARSF3-ERC will research and identify symptoms associated with the post-harvest rot of Taro in Samoa.  

“Securing funding for this project through the Alumni Research Support Facility has allowed myself and my team to address knowledge gaps in the Taro post-harvest space that we identified from previous research. I am extremely excited about the prospective impact this project can have on the Samoan Taro industry, specifically how the outcomes of this research can potentially impact the livelihoods of Taro farmers and Taro exporters here in Samoa.” Says Seeseei. 

As the Samoan Taro industry and value chain is impacted by post-harvest losses caused by corm rot, Seeseei aims to gain a deeper understanding into the common causes of rotting such as infection, chilling injury, or poor handling. Identifying these symptoms will contribute to a greater understanding of how to address the causes of rot and how to improve production methods to reduce post-harvest wastage.  

More information on the Alumni Research Support Facility (ARSF) funding rounds can be found here - https://www.aciar.gov.au/ARSF 

Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni pictured with ACIAR members and UNE staff at the recent Meryl Williams Fellowship leadership training in Australia.

Taro presenting with corm rot.

Taro presenting with corm rot.