CBN-V Video Archives - S6-13
Breeding Strategies to Control the Pandemic Cassava Mosaic Virus Disease in East and Central Africa

Khizzah B.W., J.A.B. Whyte and H. Ojulong

International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), East Africa Root Crop Research Network, P.O. Box 7878, Kampala, Uganda
IITA-Uganda@cgnet.com

        Early challenges for improvement of cassava in Africa concentrated on finding sustainable ways of reducing or eliminating the effects of cassava mosaic diseases. Between 1990 and 1999 the spread of a virulent cassava mosaic virus disease from Uganda to western Kenya, northern Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo greatly influenced the strategies used in germplasm enhancement and distribution in the region. In collaboration with various stakeholders the germplasm enhancement program adapted a three-stage scheme to generate and distribute adapted populations with desired characteristics for the major agro-ecologies. Over 2,000 improved clones combining resistance to major diseases and pests with having desired agronomic characteristics have been developed and maintained at Serere in Uganda. The network, with the expanded participation of the plant quarantine officials, endorsed the establishment of open quarantine facility that permitted distribution of the clones to Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and D R Congo. The cost of establishing cassava using tissue culture material and the time required for evaluation to release of a variety have been shortened. Cassava genetic resource bases of the national germplasm collection were greatly enriched. Preliminary yield trials indicate 150 to 200% increase over the local checks and over 40% of the clones have shown no mosaic disease symptoms, which indicates the potential to halt the spread of the disease.

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