Across the tropics, farming communities – an estimated 800 million people - rely on cassava for food and income. However, in recent decades, harvests have been decimated by rapidly spreading diseases. But there is good news for cassava breeders and farmers.
In a series of studies, researchers have established the pathogens and the first diagnostic tests for two diseases: Cassava Frogskin Disease and Cassava Witches’ Broom Disease . This milestone achievement, recently published in peer-reviewed journals, can revolutionize cassava disease management across Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Southeast Asia, where farmers and researchers have been working side-by-side to fight the spread of these diseases for decades.
Scientists were able to make these discoveries thanks to a multidisciplinary approach that combined classical plant pathology, metagenomics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology. The scientific team behind this work was led by Dr. Wilmer Cuellar, from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, whose research on crops spans the globe.
Every opportunity to recognize and stop the pathogens earlier is critical, says Cuellar: “Preemptive research at the Alliance’s Cassava Program is key to reducing the negative impact of these diseases in regions where they are yet to arrive, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Innovative Tools for Disease Management: As a result of this research, crop specialists and national instutions are already deploying tests to:
Scientific research informs a rapid response: “Solving these puzzles required years of patient collaboration and cutting-edge science. Now, we are equipped to tackle these diseases head-on and safeguard cassava production for future generations,” said Cuellar.
Wilmer Cuellar, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: w.cuellar@cgiar.org
Scientific Reports
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