CBN-V Video Archives - 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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