Exchanging and managing - elite germplasm to combat Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Silver Tumwegamire, Edward Kanju, James Legg, Rudolph Shirima, Salehe Kombo, Geoffrey Mkamilo, Kiddo Mtunda, Karoline Sichalwe, Heneriko Kulembeka, Innocent Ndyetabura, Haji Saleh, Robert Kawuki, Titus Alicai, Gerald Adiga, Ibrahim Benesi, Albert Mhone, Anabela Zacarias, Sofrimento Fenias Matsimbe, Theresia Munga, Elijah Ateka, Lynet Navangi, Midatharahally Narasegowda Maruthi, Francis Mwatuni, George Ngundo, Maureen Mwangangi, Edward Mbugua, Joseph Ndunguru, Cyprian Rajabu, Deogratius Mark
Author Information
Silver Tumwegamire: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ORCID
Edward Kanju: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
James Legg: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Rudolph Shirima: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Salehe Kombo: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 34441, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Geoffrey Mkamilo: Department of Agricultural Research and Development, PO Box 2066, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Kiddo Mtunda: Department of Agricultural Research and Development, PO Box 2066, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Karoline Sichalwe: Department of Agricultural Research and Development, PO Box 2066, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Heneriko Kulembeka: Department of Agricultural Research and Development, PO Box 2066, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Innocent Ndyetabura: Department of Agricultural Research and Development, PO Box 2066, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Haji Saleh: Zanzibar Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 159, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Robert Kawuki: National Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 295, Entebbe, Uganda.
Titus Alicai: National Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 295, Entebbe, Uganda.
Gerald Adiga: National Agricultural Research Organization, PO Box 295, Entebbe, Uganda.
Ibrahim Benesi: Department for Agricultural Research Services, Chitedze Research Station, PO Box 158, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Albert Mhone: Department for Agricultural Research Services, Chitedze Research Station, PO Box 158, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Anabela Zacarias: Instituto de Investigacao Agraria de Mocambique, PO Box 3658, Maputo, Mozambique.
Sofrimento Fenias Matsimbe: Instituto de Investigacao Agraria de Mocambique, PO Box 3658, Maputo, Mozambique.
Theresia Munga: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, PO Box 57811 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Elijah Ateka: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, PO Box 62,000 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Lynet Navangi: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, PO Box 57811 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Midatharahally Narasegowda Maruthi: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent, UK.
Francis Mwatuni: Kenya Plant Inspectorate Services, Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity Station, Muguga, PO Box 49592 - 00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
George Ngundo: Kenya Plant Inspectorate Services, Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity Station, Muguga, PO Box 49592 - 00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Maureen Mwangangi: Kenya Plant Inspectorate Services, Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity Station, Muguga, PO Box 49592 - 00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Edward Mbugua: Genetic Technologies International Limited, PO Box 47430 - 00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Joseph Ndunguru: Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Cyprian Rajabu: Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Deogratius Mark: Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
cassava varieties resistant to cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) are needed for the food and income security of the rural poor in eastern and southern Africa (ESA). The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture led five national cassava breeding programs (Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) in virus-cleaning and exchanging elite cassava germplasm resistant to both diseases. This paper documents the experiences and lessons learned from the process. Thirty-one clones (25 elite, two standard and four national) were submitted by the five breeding programs to the Natural Resources Institute and Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services for virus cleaning and indexing. Subsequently, ca 75 invitro virus-indexed plantlets per clone were sent to Genetic Technologies International Limited (GTIL), a private tissue culture (TC) lab in Kenya, and micro-propagated to produce ≥1500 plantlets. After fulfilling all the formal procedures of germplasm exchange between countries ≥300 plantlets per clone were sent to each partner country. National check clones susceptible to CMD/CBSD were sent only to their countries of origin. In each country, the in-vitro plantlets were acclimatized under screen house conditions and transferred to clean isolated sites for field multiplication. All the clones were cleaned of the viruses, except Tomo. The cleaning process was slow for F19-NL, NASE1, and Kibandameno and TC micro-propagation at GTIL was less efficient for Pwani, Tajirika, NASE1, and Okhumelela than for the other clones. Difficulties in cleaning recalcitrant clones affected the timeline for establishing the multi-site evaluation trials in target countries. The initiative is the one of the kind to successfully clean and exchange elite germplasm as a joint action to combat CBSD in ESA. Adequate preparation in terms of infrastructure and personnel are critical to successfully receiving and adapting the indexed in-vitro plants as new germplasm.
