In spite of the aforestated insufficient/inadequate resources, and given the low level of funding of research in Nigeria, the Institute in the last 41 years of its existence, has been able to achieve the following (presented on the basis of the Institute's mandate crops ) among others.

Cocoa

(i) Cocoa genotypes with improved tolerance to black pod disease have been developed to serve as source of planting materials for farmers.

Cocoa genotypes that combine good yield, black pod tolerance and bean quality factors have been acquired from the International Cocoa Germplasm and also selected locally nation-wide to serve as population for future breeding programmes.

Seedlings of these newly developed genetically improved and high yielding varieties which are capable of producing 1800kg/ha/year have been raised and are being distributed to farmers.

(Iv) Articulate physico-chemical methods have been developed for site selection and management.

(v) Fertilizer requirements for cocoa cultivation have been established for the different soil types of the south-west ecological zone, the sandy and shaly soils of Edo State and the heavy rainfall areas of Ikom in Cross River State.

(vi) Organic-based manure which satisfies fertilizer requirements in cocoa nurseries has been developed by incorporating cocoa pod husk (CPH) and Chromolaena.

(vii) Touch down Forte and roundup using direct application technique; this has been shown to be more economical than cultural method of manual handslashing.

(viii) Effective control of black pod disease of cocoa has been achieved by spraying the pods with recommended fungicides such as Funguran 071, Ridomil Gold Plus 66WP, Champ DP, Nordox 75WP

(ix)Dursban and Actara 2525WP been identified as alternative insecticides to Gammalin 20 E.C. and other organochloride cocoa insecticides for solving the cocoa mirid resistance problems and for minimising hazards to cocoa farm workers, the environment and consumers of cocoa products.

(x) Increase in land utilization has been achieved by intercropping cocoa with cocoyam, yam, cassava, maize, melon, okra and pepper before canopy closure. This has proved to be effective in suppressing weeds and serving as an alternative means of early revenue for the farmers before maturity of the main crop.

(xi) Early removal of mistletoes has been found to improve pod yield in cocoa.

(xii) Rehabilitation methods have been demonstrated and recommended for old, moribund and/or fire - gutted cocoa plantation using the most vigorous regenerated chupon from coppiced cocoa stands.

(xiii) Mixed cropping of cocoa and oil-palm has been recommended for adoption in southwest zone whereby cocoa is planted in "hollow squares" provided by nine stands of oil-palm planted at 9m spacing.

Kola .

i.Promising hybrids of improved Cola nitida (kola) have been developed; these hybrids produce in 5 years with an annual average yield of about 2,000 nuts/tree/year of marketable sizes (12-15g) compared with 250 nuts/tree/year of the unselected materials used by the farmers presently.

ii Additional high yielding C. nitida and C. acuminata genotypes have been selected from farmers' farms.

iii. Vegetative propagation techniques for kola have been developed whereby rooted cuttings are produced which start to yield fruits in about three years after field planting compared to seven year gestation period of seedlings.

iv. Scarification technique has been established to facilitate rapid and uniform germination of kolanuts during seedling production.

v. The on-shelf hand pollination technique has been used to identify and/or confirm sterility or incompatibility towards rehabilitation of old moribund farms and for solving problems of sudden occurrence of un-productivity in farmers' orchards.

vi. Some alternative insecticides Basudin 600 EC and Cymbush 10 EC, Decis 12 EC, and Actellic 250 EC have been found to be effective in protecting kola in the field to replace the hazardous Gammalin 20EC and other hitherto prescribed insecticides.

vii. Edible salts and wood ash have been successfully used to protect fresh and stored kolanuts from fungal diseases. -

viii. Plant materials are currently undergoing screening as alternatives to synthetic insecticides for stored nuts.

ix. Cultural methods including timeliness in pod harvesting, weeding and pruning of dead branches have been developed and recommended for reducing economically important field and storage pests and diseases of kola trees and kolanuts.

x. Kola pod husks with other mixtures are being used for organic fertilizer.

Coffee

i. A socio-economically-acceptable method of rehabilitating old coffee plantations with overgrown trees has been developed through coppicing at 30cm above ground level to rejuvenate the old plants.

ii. Management of plant geometry of coffee by de-capping to a height of 1.5m has been found to facilitate harvesting.

iii. Use of locally available and relatively cheaper Humic acid when applied at 800ppm has been found to be as effective as 400ppm of the imported and expensive Indole Butyric Acid in vegetatively produced rooted stem cuttings which come into bearing in 2 years as against 3-4 years by seedlings.

iv. The use of half-node stem cutting for propagating robusta coffee has been developed.

v. About 112 varieties of the highland type coffee arabica are currently being screened on the Mambilla Plateau as a basis for genetic improvement.

vi. Mixed-cropping of compatible Quillou e.g. (C-96 and (C-lll) and Java e.g. (T1049 and T93) robusta lowland type coffee have been recommended for higher yield rather than mono-culture of each of these coffees.

vii. In order to reduce bulk and cost incurred in transporting potted stem cuttings, open-rooted method of propagating and transporting stem cuttings of robusta coffee has been developed, yielding a set survival success of 98.0% as against 80.0% recorded for potted cuttings. This method drastically reduced production and transportation costs of cuttings with satisfactory nursery and field performance.

viii. Cultural methods of controlling insect pests especially hand-picking and destruction of immature stages of pests/infested plant tissues, have been found to significantly reduce infestation of coffee by three economically important insect pests (Epicampoptera, Leucoplema and Cephonodes spp) of coffee.

ix. Organic manure made from Chromolaena spp (Siam weed), cowdung, grasses and maize stovers have been developed and recommended to be as effective as inorganic fertilisers specifically on the Mambilla Plateau.

x. A coffee marketing campaign strategy has yielded positive results. More farmers who had earlier abandoned their farms have now rejuvenated/rehabilitated the unproductive farms.

xi. The wet method of coffee processing has been found to enhance the quality and marketability of the coffee beans.

Cashew

i. Seeds and seedlings of 25 superior genotypes, high yielding (10-13kg/tree/yr) medium sized nuts with superior flavour and apple skin/flesh colour selections have been supplied to farmers nation-wide.

ii. Appropriate site/soil selection packages for cashew cultivation and effective fertilizer regimes to correct mineral deficiencies have been developed.

iii. Effective seed propagation methods, establishment, spacing, pruning and intercropping have also been developed.

iv. Clonal and vegetatively propagated cashew as planting materials through marcotting technique have been established and recommended as an economically viable venture for adoption by farmers.

v. Suitable fungicide and insecticide mixtures have been developed and successfully used to control incidence of ravaging inflorescence blight disease.

vi. Cultural methods such as farm sanitation, hand picking of immature stages of pests and removal of infested branches have been found to reduce cashew stem girdlers.

vii.Brazilian Jumbo-sized nuts of prime value in the world market have been selected for evaluation and distribution to farmers.

Tea .

i. Thirty-three (33) highland clonal tea genotypes introduced from Kenya to the Germplasm Orchard have been assessed. Ten of these have been recommended for commercial cultivation e.g. clones 35, 143, 318, 236 and 68.

ii. Twenty (20) of the available tea clones including the 10 recommended commercial clones are being evaluated in seven lowland areas/states of Nigeria, e.g. lyanomo, (Edo), Akwete (Abia), Ikom (Cross River), Ikorodu (Lagos) Araromi Obu (Ogun) and Mayo Selbe (Taraba). Similarly Esa-Oke (Osun) and Ijebu-Ode (Ogun) have been earmarked for the same adaptability trial.

iii. A new rapid method for determining the field pluck (harvest) quality for tea has been evolved- PLUCK QUALITY VALUE (PQV) SCORE

iv. Factors to use in the selection of sites for lowland tea production have been developed.