Location: Sugarbeet and Potato Research
Project Number: 3060-21650-001-032-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2019
End Date: Sep 30, 2022
Objective:
The primary objectives of this research are the development of two cassava products (improved cultivars), one targeted for East Africa and one for Nigeria. The East Africa product will deliver cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) viral resistance in East African farmer-preferred cassava cultivars to combat the current CBSD epidemic. The West Africa product provides CBSD viral resistance with enhanced bioavailable micronutrient minerals (iron and zinc).
Approach:
Products will be developed by two methods: conventional breeding using proven cassava brown streak disease resistance incorporated in transgenic plants already in-hand and via new transformations with the same RNAi technology. Field trials for event selection and agronomic performance evaluation will be conducted with collaborators in Puerto Rico, Nigeria, and Kenya.
