Scientists Search for Virus Resistant Cassava
December 16, 2011| |
Scientists at the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NACRRI) in Uganda have been testing cassava varieties resistant to brown streak and mosaic virus across the country. This initiative is under the Regional Cassava Virus Disease Diagnostic Project (RCVDDP) which involves seven countries in Africa namely Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique.
According to Dr. Titus Alicia, one of the senior breeders at the Institute, cassava farmers have experienced reduced yields because of the viruses. This situation motivated African scientists to come up with a project to equip different crop research laboratories with tools to test the two viruses and generate clean planting materials.
Since there is still no variety with resistance to the two viruses, the scientists conventionally bred cassava planting material which were given to private breeders for multiplication and distribution to farmers.
Read more at http://allafrica.com/stories/201112130865.html.
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