S6-15
Observations Concerning the Distribution of
Cassava Germplasm from an International Collection
Mafla
G., J.C. Roa and D.G. Debouck
Genetic Resources Unit, Centro Internacional de
Agricultura Tropical, Apartado Aéreo 6713, Cali, Colombia d.debouck@cgiar.org
The
distribution of superior germplasm across the tropics is often the most
powerful way to improve agricultural productivity. Quarantine regulations for cassava made it clear in the 1980s
that only in vitro plants
would be distributed worldwide. The
field gene bank maintained at CIAT was thus converted into an in vitro gene bank, presently with 5,728 clones designated to FAO.
Between 1979 and 2000, CIAT has distributed 12,116 accessions
(550 annually on the average), of which 49% were distributed to 57
countries while 51% for CIAT projects.
As compared to beans and forages, cassava accounted for 3% of the
total distributed. Latin
America and the Caribbean contributed 89% of the clonal collection and
received 73% of the external shipments.
The top five recipients (with 57% of total distributed outside)
were Brazil (20%), Colombia (12.4%), Cuba (9.8%), Peru (7.7%), and USA
(7.4%). External users are
national institutions of agricultural research (55.2%), universities
(35.1%), regional organizations (4.4%), commercial companies (3.3%),
NGOs (1.5%), CGIAR centres apart from CIAT and others (0.4%).
Recipients have used the cassava germplasm for agronomy (58%),
breeding (19.4%), basic research (18.4%), applied research (3%),
training (0.5%), and for other purposes (0.7%).
CIAT projects have used the cassava collection for breeding
(81.8%), basic research (10.3%), applied research (5.9%), and for
training and other purposes (< 1% each).
The material distributed was diverse, since the top five clones
(three bred lines and two landraces) were distributed, on the average,
not less than 115 times each.
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